Bamon
by RockerChick08
Summary: Bonnie/Damon. It's been a while. Things are different. This time they will have to fight even harder if they want things to work. There are trials, tribulations, ups, and downs. But he's simply drawn to her. He has to have her. Is his love enough? Bamon.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: ****Yes! I'm the first one to write a Bamon called "Bamon!" Freakin awesome!! Okay first of all, you guys are freakin amazing! Awesome!! You all made me so happy with your feedback for my other Bamon (I can say **_**other**_** now!!) "Questions!" I'm sooo glad you all liked it!! You made me feel **_**too**_** good! Your reviews were amazing, lengthy and filled with details of what you liked! You guys are wonderful! I didn't know I had so many fellow Bamon addicts and yes, we really should start a support group!! I would pay tribute to every last one of you and name you but right now I'm so eager to post this chapter that I've just got to GET IT UP THERE!! This goes out to all of you Bamon fans! I really hope that I can live up to and deserve those wonderful reviews you gave me. Enjoy!**

**Bamon**

**Chapter 1**

It feels weird. Who would've known that the ever familiar Mystic Falls, his old home, could ever feel so weird, so foreign; but that's how it feels to Damon. It's a ghost town, a place he'd buried deep in the inner realms of his mind, a distant memory. And after four years of absence, he's finally come back, back home, well as close to a home he'd ever had.

He doesn't pause to enjoy the scenery, see what has changed, what has stayed the same. His stay will not be long. He's only here to make sure that _**the**_y are alright, safe. Once that is done he will leave, for this is no longer his home. He knows that; he saw to it. It can never be his home again. Too much has happened.

He doesn't want to think about that now. He doesn't want to think about the past, things that could've been done differently, things that should've been done differently. What's done is done. It can't be changed or taken back. Damon knows this; so he doesn't think about it; he doesn't dwell on the past, instead he focuses on the future.

He asks around the town about her; he's never been so thankful for Mystic Falls' small population. It takes him all of ten minutes to find out where she lives.

He takes his time getting there. He's in no hurry to see her. It's been four years for heaven's sakes. Hopefully he can just check in on her, make sure she's safe, and then leave. This powerful sorcerer, he's heard about, doesn't sound like one to underestimate. He just needs to know that they are safe, his family, or the family he could've had. Hopefully he can slip in and out quickly and unnoticed; the last thing he wants is for her to see him. What would he say? What could he say?

Lost in thought, Damon walks through a neighborhood park; silently taking note that he is now barely 4 yards away from her new home. He slows even more at this thought before stopping completely; he's not scared about seeing her at all, really he's not; it's just that a new thought has entered his head. Do **all** of the members of the old "gang" still reside in Mystic Falls? His dear brother Stefan, Stefan's beloved girlfriend Elena, the ex-factor Matt, and his talk a lot girlfriend Caroline; do all of them still live in Mystic Falls? What if he runs into one of them? The last thing he wants to see is Caroline Forbes' running mouth.

"Hey! Watch out!" before Damon can register what's happening, he finds himself being pushed aside by a bunch of short people. "You're blocking the merchandise!" he hears another one of them yell as they push past him.

Damon growls inwardly. Of course with his luck (or lack thereof) he'd run into the one thing he finds even _**more **_annoying than Caroline Forbes…kids.

Damon spins around, looking after the group of boys who'd been making their way to an ice-cream truck; Damon had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't even heard the approaching vehicle. He glares at the bunch of snot-nosed brats; they appear to be around the ages of 7 and 8. _At their prime evil…_ Damon thinks to himself.

"You little fuckers better watch where you're going!!" Damon shouts after them angrily, ignoring the tiny little voice in the back of his head that tells him it is wrong to swear at children. They are spawns of Satan, he knows it. Worst than any vampire. And at least he left out the part about ripping their heads off…

"Hey Mister!" Damon hears a small voice call out and looks down in surprise to see a little boy standing in front of him, part of the ice cream brats for sure.

He's smaller though, a lot shorter than all of the other boys. His tiny voice reminds Damon of the kid from the "Denis the Menace" movie, and Damon can't help but roll his eyes. What is he, the "cute" mascot of the group?

"Hey Mister." The young boy repeats again.

"What kid?" Damon snaps, annoyed when he notices the brat is still there in front him. He wonders if today is National "Pick on Damon" day. He doesn't need this.

"I like your leather jacket." The young boy says and Damon is slightly confused. Surely this kid had heard Damon curse at his friends, yet he hung behind to tell said angry swearing man that he liked his jacket? This was a weird kid.

Damon is just about to tell the boy to 'get lost' when…he smiles, and Damon's words die right in his throat. There's something about this kid's smile. Damon can't put his finger on it but something about it is familiar. Damon feels his anger slip away at the mere sight of it. It warms his heart.

"I've been wanting to get one forever, but my mom doesn't like them; she _**hates**_ them." The little boy continues.

"She sounds uptight." Damon finds himself quietly responding, wondering why, no matter how hard he's trying, he can't seem to be cruel to the little guy.

"Uptight?" he hears the boy ask.

_Oh that's right. Little nose picker…_

"She doesn't sound _**cool**_." Damon reiterates.

"Oh no, my mom's the bestest!" the boy says, beaming excitedly. "She just doesn't like leather…" he mumbles quietly, smile faltering.

_Well she can't be too cool then can she?_

"I'm Gabriel."

Damon eyes the small hand being offered to him. Really this conversation has already gone on for way to long than it ever should've, and now they're doing introductions? Still Damon bends slightly and shakes the small hand.

"Damon" he says in return. "Didn't your "cool" mom ever teach you not to talk to strangers, Gabriel?" Damon can't help but ask as he arches an eyebrow lazily.

"Yeah. But I'm not afraid of you, or anybody else. I can take care of myself." Gabriel answers confidently.

_Ballsy little fucker - I mean kid..._

"They're a lot of dangerous people and…things lurking about. You should be more careful who you talk to." Damon finds himself saying. It's good advice and he finds himself on the rare spur to spread some of it, and the kid obviously looked up to him so he'd listen. Damon had done a good thing.

"Now you sound like my mom." _Ouch. Did he really just compare me to a mom? _"I thought you were cool."

"Hey, I am. I'm just saying –

"Cool ring!"

Damon is interrupted by Gabriel's excited exclamation. _And we're back to him worshipping the ground I walk on…_Damon smirks before holding his hand out so the boy can get a better view of his _**cool**_ ring.

"My uncle – likes rings too!"

Damon arches an eyebrow at the boy's rushed statement but brushes it off.

"Okay" he says slowly.

"Black your favorite color?" Gabriel continues and Damon looks up at the October sky. It is swiftly darkening; by the looks it's a little after seven. He really should be going to her house…on the other hand maybe he should wait until it's darker, slimmer chance of running into anyone…

"Yup. Pretty awesome right?" Damon smirks in reply to Gabriel's previous question.

"Red's better." The boy replies matter-of-factly.

_He really did __**not**__ just say that. _

"Take it back." Damon demands, eyes twinkling. He can't believe that he is actually joking with this kid. What has gotten into him?!

"I'm sorry! It just is!" Gabriel laughs.

"Gabriel! Where is that boy? I told him good and well to be inside by seven…"

Even though the voice comes from over a half-mile away, and is not yelled, Damon's sensitive ears pick it up, and he freezes.

He knows this voice. It's been over four years since he's heard this voice. The possessor of it is the reason for him being in Mystic Falls. Damon's heart freezes for a second, along with the rest of his senses; he just freezes. Then suddenly his heart starts back up, beating faster than the speed Damon can run, as images flood his mind, memories: memories of her, memories of her and him, them together; memories of their first kiss, the first time they'd made love, her: big and pregnant, her crying as he left.

Damon closes his eyes tightly before opening them, wrenching his mind from the painful memory of her hurt and tearful face as he left Mystic Falls for good.

"Oh man. I've gotta go. It was nice meeting you Damon!"

The vampire barely registers the boy's words, he's still shocked and overwhelmed by the affect her mere voice has on him. He can't even seem to describe how it feels to hear her voice after all these years. He knows one thing for sure; it makes his heart hurt, immensely. She still means a great deal to him; why else would he have come all the way to Mystic Falls after four years?!

Suddenly Damon jerks his head in the direction his little friend had run off in, minutes ago, as a thought strikes him. Shock is written all over his face, along with a look of curiosity as he wonders why exactly _**she**_ was calling out to this boy.

He could be her nephew, Elena's son or maybe Caroline's…but Damon just has a hunch that this is not the case. In a daze, without even knowing, he begins to walk in the direction of her house. He ducks into some trees when he's halfway there, opting to fly the rest of the way. As if he would actually spy on the house in human form.

Damon lands in a small tree, about a good eight feet away from the side door of the nicely sized, two-story house. Through the window he can see Gabriel, sitting down at what appears to be the dining room table, an empty plate and cup in front of him.

"Mom c'mon! I'm gonna die if I don't get some food inside of me!!"

Damon's ears pick up the boy's yell.

"Time to eat! Time to eat! Time to eat!" Gabriel begins to chant, a wide smile on his face. Damon can't help but smile at the sight of it. Well his eyes twinkle…crows can't really smile…

He looks the young boy over. It feels as if it is the first time he is seeing him, really seeing him.

He's tiny but not puny. His skin is what Damon can only describe as tanned, around the color of a cardboard box, except its a little lighter, light light brown. The short, tiny baby curls on his head are sandy brown, but his eyes…they're blue, unlike his brown hair and skin. Light blue.

He's his son. He has a son! He should've known; he has her smile.

Damon's heart speeds at the realization. He has a son. He'd always thought, way back when _**she'd **_been pregnant, that she was having a girl, which would've been awesome; but a son? That was pretty awesome too.

No wonder he couldn't be mean to the little guy, he has her smile; in fact he has her nose too. He has a mixture of both of their hair, but he has Damon's eyes. It was a good combination; Damon thought so any ways. He has a son. Gabriel. Not a bad name either…

Damon's head cocks to the side, a feeling of pride and accomplishment filling him as he stares at his son whom is still chanting and full of smiles. He has a son…wow.

"You're sort of a drama king, you know that?"

Her airy voice fills his ears and soon she enters the room and Damon lays eyes on the woman he hasn't seen in years, the mother of his child, the one who once held his heart in her hands: Bonnie Bennett.

"Am not!" Gabriel argues, a small pout on his face.

"_**Mom I'm gonna die if I don't eat now!!**_" Bonnie exclaims dramatically, mocking her son.

"Well I was starting to feel a little dizzy…" the young boy mumbles.

"Dramatic much, Gabe?" Bonnie asks before bursting into laughter at the deep frown on her son's face.

"I'm a **growing boy** mom! We need our food!!"

"Right you are!" Bonnie laughs. "And so you'll have it." she announces before putting what appears to be enchiladas onto his plate, along side some corn and red beans and rice.

"Thank you." Gabriel says, chest poked out in pride. "Let's dig in!"

"Uh uhn." His mother's voice quickly halts his actions. "Not without saying your grace." She admonishes.

"Oh yeah, almost forgot." The young boy says. "Grace. Amen!" Gabriel says, looking at his mother before picking up his fork.

"Cute" Bonnie says, a stern look on her face, though the small smile on her lips makes it less intimidating…

"Okay okay." Gabriel drones before closing his eyes and silently praying.

Outside, Damon is in a daze, the whole mother/son moment barely registers within his brain. All he can see is _**her**_. Bonnie Bennett still looks just as beautiful as she had four years ago; in fact she looks even more gorgeous at age 24. The red Maxi dress, she is wearing, hugs her body in all of the right places. Her hair is in a pretty, but simple bun, little tendrils of hair cascading in various places. She's slightly taller than she'd been 4 years ago; she's still got the perfect body shape, but her chest has filled out some. Damon can't seem to take his eyes off of her. She's breathtaking. Even more breathtaking than her perfect body, is her face. Damon looks it over, eyes lingering on her green/brown hazel eyes, eyes he used to get lost in. They are still amazing. His eyes travel down to her perfect button nose and finally down to her lips which still look as pouty and kissable as ever. Bonnie Bennett is beautiful, absolutely beautiful.

Damon finally manages to tear his eyes away, from his ex, to stare at his son, whom is still praying; it isn't long before he's staring back at Bonnie though. She's smiling as she watches Gabriel pray over his food.

_There's that smile. Still as mesmerizing as ever…_

"Amen" Gabriel says before hungrily digging into his food.

Bonnie sits in the chair adjacent from Gabriel's, at the head of the table. Damon watches as her smile diminishes slightly and she rests her head on a balled fist, elbow on the table. There is a thoughtful look on her face, and her small smile is now a small frown.

Damon stares at her, wishing he could know what she's thinking, then he realizes he **can.**

Damon concentrates and tries to tap into Bonnie's mind, but he gets nothing. This surprises him immensely. He attempts once more, exercising intense concentration this time…nothing. Weird…

His mind travels back to a time when he and Bonnie were so interconnected that they could communicate psychically; even read each others thoughts. They'd been easier times, when they'd been in love, happy. Perhaps now they'd simply been apart for so long that the connection was no longer there, broken.

The thought puts a damper on Damon's oddly elated mood. A great feeling of lost overtakes the vampire as he continues to stare at the woman he'd once loved, the woman who once loved him. Things were different now. They couldn't be like they were before. He reminded himself of this.

"Wow. All this for me?"

A deep voice invades Damon's senses and he looks up to see that there is now a man standing in the dining room doorway. He also notices a black jaguar parked in front of the house. Had he seriously been so zoned out that he hadn't even noticed a car approaching?! And who the heck was this guy?!?!

"Jax"

He hears Bonnie's breathy sigh and watches as the witch emerges from her seat and wraps her arms around the Latino looking man before her.

"I was worried" she says softly.

Damon's once happy mood seems to evaporate immediately at the sight before him and he is hit by a sudden wave of possessiveness. Damon snarls, trying to calm himself. He chalks it up to the monster/vampire inside of him. He knows that Bonnie is no longer his; he has no right to feel possessive of her.

"I told you not to worry about me." The guy, Jax says before smiling and kissing Bonnie. Damon has to look away from the sight, in order to keep the vampire in him from going into an angry rampage and doing something crazy. He didn't know it would be this hard. Of course he didn't expect Bonnie to have stayed single all this time, but he didn't know it would be _**this**_ hard to see her with someone else.

The two break apart from the chaste kiss and Jax fixes his eyes on Gabriel, who is staring back at him, expression blank.

"Hey Sport" he smiles.

_Okay seriously, he calls him sport? How lame and cliché can you get?? _

"Hey Jackson" Gabriel mumbles.

_That's right son, you're not fooled by this fuck, are you?! – wait…son???..._

"Wow this looks amazing!" Jax says, looking over the food and fixing a plate.

"Really? I was afraid I'd made it wrong." Bonnie says, face screwed up nervously as she eyes her…boyfriend?

_God I hope he's __**just**__ her boyfriend…_

"It's perfect." Jax assures, smiling softly.

Bonnie just stares at him, as if she's trying to gauge his sincerity.

"Can't wait to try it then." She finally says before sitting down once more and fixing herself a plate.

_C'mon Bon; what are you doing with this prick? _Damon thinks to himself, using the nickname he used to call Bonnie, and Bonnie suddenly freezes, her spoon frozen in a bowl of corn. Her eyes fix, almost with determination, on her spoon and Damon watches as they grow big, and there is something ever present in them…fear.

"Bonnie. Bonnie; you okay?" Jax asks, and Damon can't help but wonder the same. "You look like you just saw a ghost."

Suddenly Bonnie's eyes shoot up, and they land directly onto Damon's, hazel eyes meeting his dark crow ones for the first time in over four years, Damon jumps at the sudden movement.

Oh shit.

**Author's note:**** Alright! Gosh I hope that wasn't as bad as I think it was. I really wanted to post it so I didn't proofread and revise as much as I could've. I hope you guys didn't hate it. I would hate to disappoint you after all of the great feedback you gave me for my last Bamon. Thanks again for all of that awesome praise! Please let me know what you thought about this. I've got sooo much planned for this and it'll get better I promise! Hope I gave some of you an alright Bamon fix for the time being. We seriously need help…or some Bamon camera time? What do you say CW? Okay well please review; I will try to update soon, and people WRITE MORE BAMON!! That's what it's all about!! Alright? Yes? God bless!! **


	2. Chapter 2

**New Author's NOte: This is a re-post!! Sorry for getting the hopes up of those who've already read this!! So sorry!! But seeing as I posted this the day before Christmas Eve, people were busy with Christmas shopping, cooking and such. JUst wanted to make sure that everyone who alerted this and took interest in it, would get a chance to read it. I think you'll really like it. I hope it'll entertain you and then of course i'm like any other writer, I LOVE REVIEWS, crave them, need them and without them I just don't feel as good about myself as I normally do. lol. Just thought I'd be honest!! So please read and REVIEW!! It's a long chapter so go to the bathroom and get some popcorn! Thanks again! God bless!! **

**Old Author's Note: Well finally!! I don't know if that's what you guys are thinking but it is SURE what I'm thinking! I've been trying so hard to get an update up here for you fantastic, amazing, wonderful, terrific, very deserving readers, but I just couldn't seem to get it right until now. I hope you guys enjoy it, Lord knows you deserve it. Your reviews made my ENTIRE week! So MANY, and so wonderful!! I hope I don't let you guys down, and I hope you really enjoy this update! God bless and Merry Christmas!!**

**Chapter 2**

_It can't be – It's __**not**__ him. It just can't be – no. Just no. _

Bonnie can barely breathe, much less form a coherent thought.

She knows what she's just heard. Him. Clear as day. His voice had invaded her mind, just as he had invaded her heart all those years ago.

_**Bon, what are you doing with this prick?!**_

It had been faint, like a whisper in her ear, but it was clear and she'd heard it, heard him speak her name, heard _**him**_ for the first time in over four years.

And she'd frozen.

She still is frozen, sitting in her chair unmoving, staring down at her spoon, as if her very life depends on it.

He's back. This much is evident, and after all these years… She knows this; she just can't _**believe**_ it.

Soon she finds that she can sense him though, sense his presence, just like she used to could all those years ago, when they were in love and inseparable.

It's as if a closed-off part of her brain is suddenly being thrust open, as she grows increasingly aware of his presence with each passing second.

Her eyes suddenly shoot up and land directly onto his dark, crow eyes. Him. Damon Salvatore.

Bonnie's breath hitches at the sight of him, her eyes growing big as saucers as she stares in shock. She can't believe it's him. A wave of pain soon overshadows her shock though, as memories flood her brain, memories of them together. The one memory that seems to replay itself most, however, is the one she longs most to forget: him leaving.

Bonnie's hazel eyes fill with tears at the painful memory, tears begging to cascade down her soft cheeks, but she won't allow them to; she will not cry over him. She finished crying over him a long time ago.

"Bonnie. Bonnie!" Jackson's nervous voice brings her distant mind back to reality. The Latino is kneeling beside her chair, which has been turned slightly so that she now faces him. His hands are interlaced with hers; he's been calling her for a while, she's sure of it, his look of intense concern helps prove this. "Seriously, are you okay?" he asks quietly.

_He's back._

That's the only thing that Bonnie can seem to think. Why now though? Why is he back now? After all these years have passed, why now?

She doesn't know, but damn it she's going to find out.

"I've gotta step outside for a moment; excuse me." She quietly says to Jackson, though she is still looking straight ahead at the black crow. She moves to stand and Jax appropriately moves out of her way, still eyeing her nervously.

"Bonnie, what's going on?" he asks, this time more firmly, as he lightly grabs her elbow, halting her exit.

She finally, slowly breaks eye contact with Damon and fixes her eyes on Jax.

"Jackson please; just trust me. I'll explain later." She says.

He looks like he wants to say more, but her beautiful hazel-like eyes pleading with his seem to stop him, and Bonnie looks ahead, focusing on the task at hand.

"Mom?" Gabriel asks nervously, watching his mother as she makes her way out of the kitchen and into the hallway that leads to their front door.

"I'll be back." Bonnie says calmly, still looking ahead, hating the way her voice quivers as she speaks, but she continues to walk ahead, not pausing, almost trancelike.

She finally reaches the front door, but her hand stills on the doorknob. She closes her eyes and squeezes them tightly together, hand simultaneously fiercely tightening around the gold knob. She takes a deep, calming breath, which does nothing to calm her, before forcing her eyes open once more.

"Pull yourself together, Bonnie" the witch whispers to herself.

She feels on edge, nervous…scared, and she hates it. She doesn't want to feel any thing at all. She wants to be a cold-hearted bitch; she wants to cause him pain because he caused her pain. Deep pain. But she's nervous nonetheless; her palms are sweaty and her breathing is becoming uneven.

She is about to see the man she used to be in love with, her first love, the man who'd consumed her heart and taken possession of it. It was a bit unnerving, especially when memories, of them together, were broadcasting themselves live in her brain, playing nonstop in crystal clear HD.

Bonnie suddenly sucks in a huge breath as it starts to truly sink in that Damon Salvatore is right outside, on the other side of her door in fact. He's really back.

At this overwhelming thought, she backs away from the door, her force field, her safety, the only thing separating her from him. She stares at the oak entrance in fear, thankful for the good three feet she's successfully placed between them. Once she goes out this door, there's no coming back. Is she really ready to do this, talk to him, see him after all this time??

Bonnie sighs heavily, running a frustrated hand through her long brown curls, effectively ruining her up-do. Of course she's ready...well, as ready as she can be. She's being ridiculous. She is not going to cower in the inside of her house like a scared little girl. She is a grown woman; she will act as such.

Before she can talk herself out of it, Bonnie grabs hold of the gold doorknob, and thrusts open the door. It happens so suddenly that she barely registers what she is doing until it is done and she is looking into the human face of Damon Salvatore.

**DS**DS**DS**DS**DS**DS**DS**DS**DS**DS**DS**DS** DS**DS**DS**DS**

_**C'mon Bon; what are you doing with this prick?**__ Damon thinks to himself, using the nickname he used to call Bonnie, and Bonnie suddenly freezes, her spoon frozen in a bowl of corn. Her eyes fix, almost with determination, on her spoon and Damon watches as they grow big, and there is something ever present in them…fear. _

"_Bonnie. Bonnie; you okay?" Jax asks, and Damon can't help but wonder the same. "You look like you just saw a ghost."_

_Suddenly Bonnie's eyes shoot up, and they land directly onto Damon's, hazel eyes meeting his dark crow ones for the first time in over four years, Damon jumps at the sudden movement._

_Oh shit. _

She heard him. She _**had**_ to hear him. But how is that even possible?! How could she hear his thoughts and he couldn't hear hers?! Damon doesn't know; all he knows is that she heard him, and now she is looking directly at him and he can't help but helplessly stare back.

The whole world seems to disappear: no trees, no dark night, no _**Jax**_, no big white house, just her, and him, her doe-like dark green eyes staring directly into his crow ones.

His heart jerks slightly at the sight of her beautiful eyes filling with tears and he wonders, for the umpteenth time that night, what she's thinking. He's never wanted to know her thoughts as badly as he does now. Why the heck can't he read them?!

Somewhere in his mind, he hears Jackson ask if Bonnie's alright, but it doesn't really register with him. All he can see is her. All he can hear is her. He can't seem to take his eyes off of her, and oddly enough she isn't taking hers off of him.

"I've gotta step outside for a moment; excuse me." He hears Bonnie's soft voice after a few moments of silence.

She's coming outside…to talk to _**him**_.

After a few more words are spoken between Bonnie and _El Suave_, Damon watches as she exits the kitchen and disappears from his sight. He leaps out of his hiding place in the bush and lands on the ground, in the front yard, in human form. He huffs slightly, cracking his knuckles, rolling his shoulders, rotating his neck, readying himself for a brutal encounter. If there was one thing Bonnie Bennett wasn't, it was a pushover, especially when it came to him.

She was stubborn and feisty, Damon loved this about her, but Damon also knew that he was about to get an earful. He deserved it. He mentally prepares himself for it, but how well can someone actually prepare themselves for a conversation such as this?

Damon works his waist out, twisting to the left and then twisting to the right before taking a deep calming breath.

"This is okay. This is cool." He tells himself. "No pressure whatsoever. You're just about to talk to the girl who used to _**mean every thing to you.**_" He grits out at the end. Okay so the pep talk is really not full of too much pep. Not really hiking up the confidence here…

He attempts whistling, in an attempt to seem nonchalant, casual, not at all terrified like he feels, but soon he stops this too and sighs suddenly, running a frustrated hand through his dark hair because seriously? She should've been outside like three minutes ago!

"Pull yourself together Bonnie"

Her quiet whisper infiltrates his sensitive ears and Damon freezes, arching a curious eyebrow in surprise.

She's nervous. She's nervous too. The thought shocks Damon. He's the one who screwed up; why should she be nervous? Just as he's about to contemplate this, he hears the clicking of a door and looks up towards the sound of it, and for a moment ceases to think at all.

There she is, looking as beautiful as ever. She's frozen in front of the door she's just closed, looking at Damon as if he's a ghost, or Lord Voldemort, or something.

Her body is glued to the door in a position that implies that she's just rushed out of the oak expanse and closed it hurriedly, leaning on it simultaneously in an attempt to calm herself.

Lord knows Damon wishes he could calm himself. All of his emotions seem to have morphed themselves into one: shock. He is frozen. He cannot move, and by the looks of it, neither can she. Only _**six feet**_ separate him from the woman he'd once known as the love of his life. It's definitely a bit overwhelming.

They both just continue staring at the other for minutes that seem to turn into hours, but are really just minutes: long, silent minutes.

Damon notices that her hair is now down, versus her previous up-do. This brings a small smile to the vampire's face. He can practically see Bonnie running her fingers through her curls, ruining her perfect up-do in a fit of nerves. It was a nervous habit of hers, that and biting her lower lip…

Damon's small smile widens until it is a full on grin. He finds that he can't help it, after a few moments of trying to erase the happy expression that seems to mock the heightened mood and situation he's in. Bonnie is simply so beautiful that he can't help but smile; it feels way too good to see her again. It's been too long.

Damon's strange happy mood evolves into an even happier mood, giddy actually. It's almost like he's drunk and is suddenly over-going rapid mood changes like so, like he's high or something, hysterically happy.

Broken from his frozen trance, Damon decides to finally break the stretching silence.

"Hey" he offers quietly, taking a cautious step towards the beautiful witch, smiling like a maniac all the while.

The spoken words seem to awaken Bonnie from her moment of temporary stupor and shock, as her eyes focus on Damon.

The face she is now giving him, he can only seem to describe one way: game face. Her eyes are locked onto his, her lips are puckered sternly, her head is cocked to the side, and her arms are crossed over her chest. Damon's smile falters at the sight of it.

"What are you doing here?" the petite woman asks/demands.

Wow. What a welcome! It just didn't get any better than that!

Aggravated by Bonnie's reply, though he wasn't really expecting much of a greeting, Damon says the first thing that comes to mind.

"Who's the tool?"

Bonnie's face dawns a look of confusion and Damon merely moves his head towards the house in indication, smile no longer present.

Bonnie looks back towards the house before a look of realization overtakes her features; it only stays for a millisecond though because soon her game face is back on and marred with even more determination, if that's even possible.

"What are you doing in Mystic Falls, Damon?"

"Is that the way you greet someone after nearly five years without seeing them?"

Probably not the best thing he could've said, but Damon is Damon, not to mention he is a little ticked at the fact that he'd just heard Bonnie speak his name, for the first time in years, and it couldn't have sounded less appealing or more venomous.

"Damn it, Damon!" Bonnie exclaims in frustration, green eyes piercing his; or were they brown eyes; Damon could never seem to tell. They changed colors, sometimes becoming a mixture of both. Whatever they were, Damon couldn't seem to take his eyes off of them. It'd been a long time since he'd seen them look so intense. "Fine! Don't tell me why you're here; I don't care. Just stay the hell away from me." She bites out before turning on her heels.

"I had to know that you were safe." Damon suddenly speaks out, looking helplessly at Bonnie's back. The last thing he'd wanted was a run in with Bonnie; he'd wanted to check in on her and leave unnoticed, but now that that plan had been obliterated the last thing he wanted was to leave things off on a bad note. He didn't want her to be any angrier with him than she already was; so far though he seemed to be doing an excellent job of pissing her off.

Bonnie halts after hearing Damon's words before slowly turning around and facing him once more. Phew.

"What?" she asks/sighs.

"I heard about this dangerous sorcerer guy coming to Mystic Falls. I had to make sure you were safe."

It's silent for a moment, after Damon's confession, and he watches Bonnie closely, gauging her response. Her face briefly takes on a look of surprise, but this soon vanishes and Damon is left with an unreadable expression on the witch's face.

"Yeah well, I can take care of myself." Bonnie replies shortly after.

Damon arches an eyebrow at this. She barely even acted surprised; this was a serious matter, yet she didn't seem surprised or scared in the least. At this thought, Damon's eyes narrow as he realizes something.

"You already knew about him, didn't you?" he asks knowingly.

"I've been having dreams about him." Bonnie admits, sighing and running a hand through her hair before holding said hand up and muttering some words.

"Spell. Muffles the sound, so that it's really hard for people to hear." Bonnie replies in response to Damon's arched eyebrow.

Oh.

And what the crap? She's been having dreams about this guy?!

This is important. This can help Damon to learn more about this threat and even more importantly, if he's a threat to his family.

"What about? What are the _**dreams**_ about?" he asks.

"Don't worry about it."

_**Don't worry about it?! Don't fuckin worry about it?!?!**_

"Well you and my _**son**_ could be in danger so I have _**every right**_ to _**worry**_ about it." Damon angrily grounds out between clenched teeth. He's angry, pissed actually, because really; she's really being ridiculous, telling him _**not to worry about it**_. It's _**her**_ for heaven's sakes and his freakin _**son **_at stake!!

"How did you know you –

"I met him today." Damon interrupts/answers, running a hand over his face in aggravation.

"You _**what?!...**_You stay away from him or –

"Hey, it's not like I was _**looking**_ for him or anything; it just happened!!" Damon exclaims, growing angrier at the accusing tone in Bonnie's voice, but then he realizes something else. "And I'm not going to stay away from him; he's my damn son; I'll see him whenever I fuckin feel like it!!"

"Don't you dare curse at me!" Bonnie hisses and in one swift motion she is standing directly in front of him, glaring at him with furious eyes. "You have _**no**_ right!!" she bites out angrily, eyes passionate and shiny. "You can't just come back and decide, after all of these years, that you want to be a part of his life!!"

"I'm his father!" Damon argues, glaring back at Bonnie, nearly growling out in rage.

"Yeah some father." Bonnie spits and Damon freezes, the anger inside of him boiling and begging to overflow; it takes every bit of will power he has to keep it at bay.

He takes a deep breath and runs a calming hand through his hair, eyes fixed dangerously on Bonnie all the while.

"Look, I know I screwed up royally but I'm still –

"Stop"

No, Damon will _**not**_ stop!! He _**will**_ finish his words and she _**will**_ listen.

"I'm still his father, damn it!!"

"Stop!" Bonnie says again, only this time she's louder and more firm; and Damon stops, but only because he was done with his sentence; he has every intention of finishing his monologue though, every intention, but he'll pause it for now, but only because he's noticed that Bonnie is looking off to the side and her eyes have a distant look in them. "This conversation's no longer private." She says, finally recovering from her spaced out look and fixing her eyes on Damon.

"What? I thought you did the voice muffle thing."

"Gabriel!" Bonnie suddenly shouts, fixing her eyes on her house, on a vacant window upstairs.

Damon follows her eyes and stares up at the room which suddenly brightens with light but what really surprises him is when his son appears in the window, a guilty look on his face. "What have I told you about eavesdropping?!" Bonnie shouts in a reprimanding tone; boy does she have this mom thing down pat. "Go and listen to mommy's music."

Yup. She's a natural.

"But mom!" Gabriel objects, the look in his blue eyes screaming that he wants to say more, but Bonnie doesn't allow it.

"Gabriel. Now." She says, voice firm. A deep frown overtakes the small boy's features but he obediently turns and trudges off and realization practically smacks Damon in the face. Gabriel had been eavesdropping, yet Bonnie had cast a powerful voice muffler spell that prevented anyone from doing just that, _**and**_ Gabriel had heard and even communicated with his mom through a _**closed**_ window!

"He's a vampire." Damon says quietly to himself, in awe, though he doesn't know why. He should've known; he was _**his**_ son after all.

"Of course not; he'd have to be dead." Bonnie says.

Or he's _**not**_ a vampire…

"But, seeing as his father is one, he's inherited some of the abilities." Bonnie finishes.

Really? How cool is that?

"Speed?" Damon questions.

"Yeah" Bonnie says softly, nodding her head.

"Hearing?"

"I believe you just witnessed that, Damon."

Ignoring the sarcasm…

"Strength?"

She nods.

"…Compulsion?"

"Yes, but he doesn't really know when he uses it; it just happens my accident. I haven't explained it to him yet; not really too eager to tell my son he can influence and control people…" Bonnie sighs and Damon smiles. Wow. Wow.

"Wow. My son…" the vampire says in awe. How lucky was the little guy?! He had all the cool/fun perks of being a vampire without the being dead and blood-thirst part. "Wait till I teach him the ropes." Damon says thoughtfully to himself, chest thrust out in pride. "He thinks he's good now, he's going to be a freakin pro when I'm through with him."

He finally returns from the plans and visions for his son, and looks at Bonnie a huge grin on his face that disappears almost instantly when he notices that the beautiful witch's eyes are shining intensely, brimming with unshed tears.

She shakes her head vehemently before releasing her bottom lip from her teeth.

"You don't get to do this." She says softly. Her voice is shaky and Damon can tell that she is fighting, with everything in her, not to cry.

What did he do _**now,**_ to make her so…distraught?

"You don't get to come back and try to inch your way into his life." She lets out between clenched teeth; Damon can practically hear the tears in her voice. He hates to see her sad, hates to see her cry, but she really can't be serious. It's his son; why shouldn't he see him?!

"You said you were only here to check and make sure we were safe;" Bonnie continued, brown/green eyes boring into his.

Damn it. She was right. That had been what Damon had originally planned to do: check in and check out. But some how, some way or another, his plans had changed; he'd met his son and now he wanted to know more about him, wanted to know him.

"Well we're fine, so go." Bonnie finishes, body practically shaking with non-vocalized sobs.

"He needs his fa –

Damon attempts before being interrupted.

"Please, just go." Bonnie says quietly, voice barely above a whisper. A lone tear trickles down her soft skin and she looks away from Damon, eyes focusing on anything but him.

Damon wants to say more, wants to argue, fight, make her listen. But she's standing in front of him right now, looking absolutely broken, and Damon's stubbornness and resolve dissipates. All he can do is stare at her and be reminded of all the pain he's caused her, and at this same moment, with even more disappointment, realization suddenly sets in.

Bonnie is right. He has _**no**_ right. No right whatsoever. He had left her, left his unborn child, had stayed gone, abandoned her and their son. What right did he have to suddenly return and demand to be given the right to spend time with him. None.

Damon looks at Bonnie once more; she still isn't looking at him. No tears have escaped her orbs other than the one he'd seen moments ago but still, she looks so fragile right now, like the tiniest thing could push her over the edge and into a fit of tears. He did this.

Eyes staring off into space, unfocused and dazed; Damon nods in understanding, though this is only one of the many emotions coursing through him. He then turns, and with swift vampire speed, leaves, leaves her, his son, and any hopes of having a future with either one of them.

Damon doesn't stop until he reaches the outskirts/borders of Mystic Falls. A million emotions wreaking havoc on him, and he can't seem to settle on one: anger, shame, longing, lost, sadness (to name a few); the giddy happiness he'd felt earlier has completely disappeared and doesn't seem to be even contemplating a return.

His anger and sadness have morphed into one emotion: hunger. Damon's hungry. He wants to feed, wants to take out his sadness and frustration on an idiot human or human_**s**_, wants to rid his depressing feelings by treating himself to a hot meal. But he can't seem to bring himself to do it.

Being around Bonnie, even for such a short amount of time, seems to have revived old habits she'd embedded into him. He can practically hear her whispering in his ear, telling him he's good, he's strong, he's not a monster, he can be a good vampire, he _**is**_ a good vampire. If he slips up here, he can't help but think that word will get back to Bonnie somehow and she'll hate him even more than she already does. Like it matters any ways; he'll probably never see her again, but still Damon can't seem to bring himself to cross that invisible line. Sure he fed on countless amounts of humans while it was gone, but that was then and this was now. He would not feed, at least not while he was in Mystic Falls.

Fighting his hunger, Damon enters a Hilton hotel, compels the manager to give him a room and makes sure to tell him that he is _**not**_ to be disturbed.

He lounges on the king sized bed of his one bedroom suite, eyes aimed on the large plasma T.V. before him. Some Bruce Willis movie is playing but Damon couldn't be paying any less attention to it. His thoughts are a million miles away. His thoughts are on Bonnie, pregnant Bonnie.

She'd been so beautiful. Damon frowns slightly as he remembers all of her rapid mood swings, how she'd go from smiling and laughing, to bawling and yelling. The frown only deepens as he remembers the countless trips he'd made to the grocery store, in order to accommodate her ludicrous food cravings. But the frown disappears instantly however, when Damon thinks back to the first time he'd felt the baby, his son kick/move. And soon he is all out grinning at the memory of Bonnie, self conscious about her weight. She'd been beautiful, absolutely beautiful, and he'd told her that countless amounts of time. The protruding belly look fit her nicely; pregnancy was absolutely beautiful on her.

Damon shakes his head thoughtfully. He'd thought for sure that Bonnie was pregnant with a baby girl, he'd known; he never would've guessed it to be a boy. But it had been. Damon had a son, Gabriel. The name suited him.

He chuckles slightly wondering how in the world he could've ever contemplated that Gabriel could be Elena and Stefan's son or Caroline's. He was clearly Bonnie's and his. I mean look at him! What a looker. Perhaps he'd merely been so panicked that he'd forced himself to believe heinous things in order to qualm his shock at the overwhelming realization. He didn't know. All he knew was that he was sad and that he felt extreme lost. He felt like he'd truly lost out on something amazing: his son. He'd only spoken to him for a short amount of time, but already he felt drawn to the kid. But his mother had made it perfectly clear that she didn't want him in either of their lives.

Bonnie. Boy had she changed, yet she was still the same, still as beautiful as ever, still feisty and stubborn. But she was sad. At least when it came to him she was. She was sad, argumentative, untrusting. He had royally screwed things up. He'd really lost her. He couldn't even read her thoughts for heaven's sakes!! Why?!

Perhaps because she was no longer allowing him to…her heart was no longer open to him as it once had been. She was closed off to him and this blocked him, whereas he seemed to be as open as a book and reading his thoughts had been a synch.

Things were different. She was different, but he was too, but he'd probably never get the chance to show her that. Things were too messed up for that.

Damon looks around his nice hotel room with loathe, suddenly the bright, well furnished, expensive suite does nothing but disgusts him and Damon has the urge to leave and go to a Motel 6, somewhere that better matches the way he feels, because suddenly he is reminded of their earlier encounter and he can't seem to take it. He can't take reliving their conversation and hearing her shaky voice and seeing her distraught face and tear-filled eyes. He can't take it. So he leaves.

There's nothing in Mystic Falls for him, just things from his past, nothing for the future.

He calls his supplier first though. He needs blood and as much as he hates to admit it, Lexi's blood pack idea is actually a nice substitute for the real thing, though not as tasteful. But it will have to do.

J.P. reaches the hotel within 30 minutes; having a vampire supplier comes in handy, especially when the guy lives in freakin London.

"Here. This oughta hold ya till ya get back home." The other vampire says, handing Damon a duffle full of blood packs.

The New York accent still amuses Damon; the guy had no business living in London, England.

Damon reaches into his pocket and hands the other guy a bag full of precious diamonds, diamonds from the 1890's, a time before J.P.'s, diamonds that the 30 year old looking vampire loves and collects.

"Thanks D"

Damon nods in response.

"What brings you to these parts of town anyways?" the vampire asks, pocketing his jewels.

J.P. is the closest thing Damon has to a best friend. Through their business relationship, conversations took place, and Damon had found a friend in J.P; tot to mention the other vampire was oddly wise and connected and gave great advice.

As much as Damon was not in the mood for a "heart to heart," he was eager to be have his thoughts be distracted from the horrible day he'd had and _**any**_ conversation with his supplier friend was sure to do just that.

"Had to check on some people. Heard about this powerful sorcerer making his way to Mystic Falls." Damon answers.

"The Gin sorcerer…"

Damon looks up at his friend in surprise.

"You've heard of him?" Damon questions, eyebrows rising in interest.

"Yeah. One of my other, darker clients knows of him." J.P. explains. "No one knows his real name or all that he can do, but trust me, he's dangerous and he's powerful." J.P. finishes and Damon is overcome with an odd feeling of unease.

"I've heard." Damon mutters in response to J.P.'s previous words. "I heard he was coming here in search for something –

"You don't know what?" J.P. questions, voice sounding surprised.

"No." Damon answers before looking at his friend in suspicion. "You do?" he questions.

J.P. looks around nervously before nodding his head.

"I do. But I'm not supposed to tell anyone so you didn't hear this from me alright?" the vampire asks.

Damon nods his head, a little agitated and eager to hear more about this dangerous sorcerer.

"I've never heard of anything like it, Damon, in all of my years." J.P. starts, eyes as big as saucers. And Damon wishes he'd just spit it out. "A person…mixed with _**vampire**_ and _**witch**_…Talk about powerful man…"

Damon's eyes big in realization, shock and fear as J.P's words sink in, and he can only think of one thing.

Gabriel.

**Author's note:**** And that concludes the chapter! I really wish I could, for once, write a chapter and be satisfied with it!! I sure hope you guys didn't hate it; Lord knows I would hate to disappoint you wonderful readers!! Anyways this is my Christmas present to you guys; I hope you liked it and even if you didn't, please review and let me know what you thought!! Merry Christmas and Happy New Years!!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note:**** I have some things I want to tell you all, now that it's a New Year!! Woot Woot!! In 2010, the good times begin!! (Just made that up, you like?!...Copyright! J/k!) For now however, I just want you to read and enjoy the chapter, you guys deserve it because you literally blew me away with your fantastic, long, and detailed reviews!! I absolutely LOVED them!! Thank you guys soooo much! You're amazing!! Oh and "Vampire Diaries" won Best New TV Drama on the People's Choice Awards!! Totally deserved it!! Yay! Can't wait for the 21****st****!! Well enjoy this chapter that I wrote especially for you! It's REALLY long so make sure you take a nap, eat dinner, and watch your favorite show (Vampire Diares) first! God bless!! **

**Chapter 3**

He's gone. It happened so fast. One second he was there and then the next…Bonnie is a mess of emotions, and not quite sure how to feel. She _**is**_ relieved however, relieved that Damon is gone and she will not be forced to live with the dramas of having him back in her life, relieved that she will not have to worry about him getting close to her son and then hurting him, relieved that she won't have to feel, feel all of the crazy emotions that he's always managed to pull out of her.

Does this make her a coward?

Is she a coward because she wanted Damon to leave so that she wouldn't have to feel and deal with her feelings? Did she drive him away out of fear? Has she really become so pathetic that she doesn't even know how to deal with her own problems anymore?

Bonnie sighs, running a hand through her long hair. She doesn't know. She doesn't know much of any thing at the moment.

How did Damon manage to turn her entire world upside down in the short amount of time he'd been there?!

He's gone now though. So she can relax. Right?

She wants to relax, wants to have a _**celebration**_ because Damon is gone; she won't have to deal with him anymore! But there are all kinds of emotions overtaking the beautiful witch that hinder her happiness. All of the heart wrenching, painful emotions that came along with seeing the love of her life, after nearly 5 years, are still clutching achingly at her heart.

Bonnie closes her eyes in an attempt to destroy the image of Damon's hurt face, the face she'd seen seconds before he'd left. She hurt him. She knows this, and it is tearing her apart, but it is also immensely frustrating, and Bonnie wrenches her eyes open and balls her right hand into an angry fist because of this.

She shouldn't care if she hurt him! She should _**want**_ to hurt him!! He hurt her. It was only fair that she hurt him. She should be happy, satisfied, but hurting Damon didn't satisfy her in the least.

Bonnie takes a deep breath and lets it out in a heavy sigh, before un-balling her fist. It's over now. What's done is done. Damon is gone, and there is nothing she can do about it…nothing she would want to do about it. Though it hurt him, hurt them both, it was for the best; them being apart was for the best. Bonnie knows this.

The 24 year old turns slowly and makes her way back to her house, walking in a slow, dazed-like way, much like how she'd exited the kitchen earlier.

She finally enters the two-story house and runs smack into the hard chest of Jackson Espinosa.

"Whoa!" she softly lets out as she feels two strong hands on her shoulders that gently settle her into an upright position. "Sorry; didn't see you there babe." Bonnie breathes, looking up into the concerned dark brown eyes of her boyfriend.

"You okay?"

The words and the deep voice that speaks them seem to echo in the witch's head. _**Is**_ she okay?

"Yes" Bonnie finally answers, smiling slightly. Damon was gone. Every thing was great...peachy. "I'm okay. Thanks for letting me handle that."

"Well I did eavesdrop just a little in the beginning." The Latino man admits, a guilty look on his face. "I was worried."

Bonnie sighs; she should've known. That was Jackson; he cared about her, was over protective of her (much like someone else in her life) no! She was not going to think about him.

_Well at least I won't have to explain __**everything **__to him. _Bonnie thinks as she gives Jackson an admonishing/knowing look.

"So that was the ex." Jackson ventures, a slightly sheepish smile on his face.

"Yeah…That was him." Bonnie says softly, eyes unfocused and staring off as she starts to re-live their painful encounter.

"You want to talk about it?" the older man asks, interrupting her thoughts and rubbing her arms comfortingly.

"No" Bonnie sighs, looking into his eyes. "I'm really exhausted, emotionally and physically. I really just want to go to sleep."

Jackson nods in understanding.

"Well whenever you want to talk –

"I'll tell you all about it tomorrow." Bonnie promises, an appreciative smile on her face.

Jackson nods, a small smile gracing his features.

"Come here." He says quietly before pulling Bonnie into his arms and hugging her.

Bonnie melts in his embrace; a hug was exactly what she needed.

"I love you." Jackson says into her hair before kissing the top of it.

"I love you too." Bonnie says softly before sighing. "What would I do without you?" she wonders aloud, and Jackson breaks away from her, smiling playfully.

"You wouldn't make it!" he laughs.

Bonnie smacks him in the chest, an incredulous look on her face that quickly turns into a smile.

"Well you get some shut eye, alright?" Jackson's deep voice speaks.

Bonnie nods, sadly wishing that Jackson could stay the night. She didn't want to sleep alone. But she wouldn't have him stay with Gabriel being home at the same time.

Perhaps it was time for her little man to spend some time with his Aunt and Uncle…

Her thoughts are interrupted by the feel of Jackson's lips pressed against hers in a soft chaste kiss.

Bonnie sighs contently before returning the kiss. Jackson abruptly pulls her into him and wraps his arms around her waist. Bonnie gasps at the sudden movement and Jackson moves his tongue into her mouth. They kiss like this briefly, her hands laced around his neck, but soon they break apart, knowing what any more kissing would have led to.

Bonnie pants softly, looking into Jackson's dark brown eyes, lips slightly swollen and eyes sparkling.

"Goodnight" Jackson says, smiling, well smirking slightly actually, at the effect he'd had on Bonnie.

Bonnie shook her head slightly, ridding the fuzziness that had overtaken it.

"See you tomorrow."

And soon Jackson too is gone and Bonnie is still frozen in the doorway. Why did he have to smirk? It always reminded her of…she wasn't going to think about him any more. She wasn't.

Bonnie silently closes the door and makes her way into the kitchen. She notices that it is already fairly clean. Jackson must've cleaned up some. That's him, always being sweet. However there are still a few things left to do so Bonnie sets to them.

Try as she might though, she still can't seem to shake the thoughts of Damon that seem to have flooded her mind ever since Jackson's departure; did they ever really leave her to begin with? Or had she merely tried to bury them, ignore them, hide from them.

Bonnie doesn't really know – who the heck is she kidding?! Damon had invaded her life, just as he had all those years ago, and now he had invaded her thoughts, and she just could _**not**_ stop thinking about him.

She dazedly works to finish the little bit of dishes Jackson hadn't gotten to. _Jackson…_he was such a great man, so strong, caring, handsome, loving. She was truly lucky to have him, however her thoughts were not stuck on the beautiful Latino (as she would've preferred); they were stuck on him, Damon.

When she'd stumbled outside of her door and laid eyes on him, it had literally taken her breath away.

He was still just as beautiful as he ever had been. Extremely handsome. His hair was still a messy disarray, but it still worked wonders for him, as it always had. He was still in perfect shape; she could tell from the black body shirt he wore underneath his black leather jacket. Yup, his fashion still seemed to be the same, fitting blue jeans had not been abandoned either. And his eyes…

Damon's eyes were just as blue as ever; she'd found herself immediately getting lost in them from the moment she'd looked into them. They were just mesmerizing, beautiful. He was beautiful.

And then he had started to smile like some kind of idiot and she'd been wondering _**why**_, but even more she'd been wondering why it warmed her heart so. Why just seeing his smile like that had almost completely wiped away all of the anger and sadness she felt towards him? Was she really that pathetic? Luckily she didn't have to marinate on these questions for long because soon he'd spoken, and her anger returned ten-fold.

Bonnie let out the dishwater, having finished the dishes and moved to wipe off the dining room table.

It amazed her by how quickly they'd settled into their roles. It had almost been like he'd never left. The way he riled her up, their angry quarrel/banter, was just all too familiar.

The outcome however was much different now from what it would've been back then. Their arguing would've led to more…pleasurable things back then, whereas now…he was gone. He'd left.

Things were not like they were before. They were different, so different. They had to be. Too much had happened for them not to be.

Bonnie sighed, returning the dish cloth to its spot in the kitchen and turning out the lights. She made her way upstairs to her bedroom.

Damon was gone. She'd caused that and she hated to admit it but at first she'd actually felt…sad. She didn't want to hurt him and she could tell that he really did want to spend time with Gabriel, he really did want to get to know their son. But she just couldn't have it. She was too afraid to have it.

And there was her answer to her previous question. Yes. She had in fact drove Damon away out of fear. She was afraid to have him back in her life, afraid to have him be apart of Gabriel's. What if he hurt him, what if he left? What if she started to develop feelings for him again? Bonnie couldn't take the chance.

And the timing was just horrible. Things were finally starting to fall into place. Bonnie had Jackson, they were getting along perfectly, and Gabriel would soon have the family he deserved, the father he deserved, not Damon. Gabriel deserved better.

Bonnie entered her bedroom and her eyes immediately landed on Gabriel whom was lying on her bed, listening to her ipod. Shit. She'd forgotten he was in her room. She prayed that her son hadn't heard certain parts of her conversation but her hopes were quickly obliterated as Gabriel sat bolt up in her bed and threw off the head phones.

"Damon's my dad?!" the little boy exclaimed loudly, eyes wide in shock as he stared at his mother.

Shit. She had a lot of explaining to do.

**DS**DS**DS**DS**DS**DS**DS**DS**DS**DS**DS**DS**DS**DS**DS**DS**

"I know man! A vampire with magical powers…definitely worth finding don't you think?" JP continues, taking Damon's wide open mouth and eyes as a sign of intrigue.

Suddenly Damon's eyes lock onto the other vampire's and his eyes are starting to bleed black.

"What does he want with them?!" Damon snarls, breaking away from his moment of stupor and grabbing the collar of JP's shirt, thrusting him roughly against the hotel wall. He leaves a mark; it takes every ounce of control in him to keep from obliterating the entire wall.

"Whoa! Ump! Chill out!" JP exclaims, once his back makes contact with the hard plaster.

He eyes Damon nervously, wondering what in the world has come over his friend to cause him to become so angry.

Damon catches sight of JP's nervous stare and his eyes slowly turn ocean blue. He lets out a sigh before losing his grasp on his vampire friend.

"Sorry" he lets out, avoiding the other man's confused gaze, and simultaneously trying to calm himself. "Do you know what the Sorcerer wants with this powerful being?" Damon repeats quietly.

"No." JP finally answers. "I suppose he wants to kill them, steal their powers, use it for himself; but that's just my theory."

Damon lets out a shaky breath as his friend's words echo in his head. He runs both of his hands through his hair before ramming a fist into his left hand.

He's breathing hard, panting even, as he struggles to think coherently.

"Tell me all that you know about this guy. Is anyone with him? How is he traveling? When exactly did he leave?" Damon demands, nostrils flared.

"I don't know much about him D." JP says gently, eyeing Damon cautiously and empathetically. "I know he's powerful. I don't know how he's traveling or when he left, but I do know that he's with two other people: a tracker and a werewolf."

Damon nods slowly, taking in all he's heard.

"And there's nothing else you know." He repeats, giving his friend a stern look.

"Nothing…" JP says. "Damon what's goin on here; you just can't keep me in the dark; I told you all I knew!" the other vamp exclaims, looking at his friend with genuine concern in his eyes.

Damon sighs.

"He's after my kid." He finally says, simultaneously handing the duffle bag back to JP. "I don't have time for this." He mutters, getting rid of the bag of blood.

"You're kid? You have a kid - a kid with a witch?!"

"Yes, yes I do!" Damon replies agitated. "I don't have time to answer all of your questions!"

"Yeah yeah. By all means, go!" JP echoes. "Call me when you get a chance okay? Maybe I can help!" he shouts to a retreating Damon whom is already half-way through the door.

"You sure?" Damon asks, turning around briefly to eye his friend curiously. They are of course friends but were they really _**that**_ close. Damon didn't think so.

"Yes. I had a little girl before I got turned like this, would've done anything for." He smiles sadly face the epitome of understanding.

"Thanks" Damon says, knowing that JP would not appreciate his pity.

And he's gone. Not even a second later, Damon is gone, running faster than he's ever run in his life.

**BB**DS**BB**DS** BB**DS**BB**DS** BB**DS**BB**DS** BB**DS**BB**

"Mom?" Gabriel questions after a few seconds of silence on his mother's part.

Bonnie is looking down at the ground, determined to avoid her son's questioning eyes and if lucky his question. Crap! He heard.

"Is Damon my dad?" the young boy's small voice interrupts her thoughts.

She can't lie.

"Yes" Bonnie says softly before finally looking into her son's soft blue orbs.

"But mommy I thought he was dead."

"I never said that. I said that he was lost at sea; he was in the Navy and was declared lost at sea." Bonnie defends, taking a few steps further into the room.

"But mommy you made it _**seem**_ like he was dead!"

Her son's words hit her hard. Gabriel's eyes are shining with tears, tears of betrayal she's sure, and Bonnie feels like the worst mother in the world. The last thing she'd wanted to do was lie to her son, and it had _**not**_ been her intention to make him think that his father was deceased. As angry as she had been at Damon she hadn't felt right making her son think he was dead. She'd figured the "lost at sea" story was a way for Gabriel to have closure. He wouldn't be looking around corners for his father, thinking he'd appear at any given day, and he also wouldn't think that he was dead. Wrong. That's _**exactly**_ what he'd thought.

"Baby I'm sorry." Bonnie says softly, making her way over to her bed and sitting at the corner of it. "I never meant for you to think that. I just couldn't tell you the truth."

Bonnie's heart clenches as her son looks at her, a deep frown on his face. He looks so much like his father.

"You lied to me." He says angrily and if possible Bonnie feels even worst than she already did.

"I'm sorry." She says, inching closer to her son. "I hated lying to you. You're just too young to know the truth." She says, reaching out to embrace him. This is a lot for him to take in; he needs a hug; he needs her, and personally she needs him as well. Her son is the only person, in the past five years, who's remained constant in her life. She doesn't want him to be angry at her, to resent her.

Gabriel jerks away from his mother's outstretched arms.

"I'm not too young!" he exclaims angrily and Bonnie loses her composure.

She'd been trying so hard not to cry tonight, and the last thing she wanted to do was cry in front of her son, but it was all just too much. She had seen Damon for the first time in five years, they had had a very _**painful**_ encounter, yet she'd held her own. She hadn't cried; she'd held it in. But knowing that she'd hurt her son, and having him so angry at her was enough to finally push her over the edge.

Bonnie ducks her head in shame as she feels the tears cascade down her cheeks. _Hopefully Gabriel can't see – _

Bonnie's thoughts are interrupted at the feel of someone jumping into her arms. Judging by the size of the person, it's Gabriel. His arms are wrapped tightly around her neck and Bonnie's never been more thankful for a hug. She wraps her arms tightly around her son and sighs thankfully.

"I'm sorry mom." She hears Gabriel speak softly. "I didn't mean to make you cry. Please don't cry." He repeats over and over again and Bonnie lets out a sob before running her hand over her son's curls.

"You didn't make me cry." she tells him. "You're the only one who keeps me happy." She says. She moves her head so that she can see him, and she smiles a teary smile at him.

Gabriel smiles back weakly and she kisses his head before sighing. Boy does she feel like a baby now, and being comforted by her son? Really?

"What's he like?"

Bonnie looks at her son, her expression unreadable. The last thing she wants to do is take a trip down memory lane, tell her son about his father, but he deserves to know. It's the least she can do.

She sighs.

"He's a lot like you." She smiles, rubbing his head playfully. Gabriel giggles before looking at his mother with extreme interest.

"He's confident, a little cocky –

"Hey!"

"Well you are Mr. _**I'm big and strong and you better not mess with me.**_" Bonnie imitates, smiling all the while.

"I'm just stating facts." The young boy smartly replies, and Bonnie giggles. Her son is way to smart for his age. The things that boy would say…

"See what I mean?" the mother returns, smirking before deciding to continue. "He's also tough…but really nice and sweet when you get to know him…" She finishes, a thoughtful look on her face.

"You still love him." Gabriel says through a yawn and Bonnie is awoken from her thoughts.

Really? Really?

She stares at her son in disbelief, mouth wide open in amusement. He just _**tells**_ her…wow. He is definitely Damon's son…

"No" Bonnie says shaking her head, a serious look overcoming her features. "I once loved your father, but that was a long time ago." She says before standing from her bed. "And you, young man, need to go to bed!" she announces.

"No! It was just getting good!" Gabriel objects, grabbing hold of one of his mother's pillows and flopping back on her bed.

"C'mon mister, time for bed! You've got school tomorrow and I will _**not**_ have you going to sleep in class!" Bonnie says, picking her son up and placing him onto the ground.

"But it's _**Friday!**_ We're hardly even gonna do anything! It's the day that was invented for us _**to**_ go to sleep in class on!

Bonnie leads the way to Gabriel's room; that way she can hide the smirk on her face, cause really her son says the funniest things.

She watches as her son picks out his pajamas and ventures down the hall to his bathroom. She hums to herself, looking around her son's blue and red room. She feels oddly at ease. At least one good thing came from Damon's surprise visit; she no longer had to lie to Gabriel about him.

Bonnie blindly walked over to Gabriel's small fire engine bed and retrieves an object from within its sheets.

She absentmindedly runs her fingers over the fur before finally looking down and realizing what she is holding, what she seems to have been drawn to, in a state of daze.

Gabriel's teddy bear.

It's the only thing in the room that was picked out by his father, Damon. Bonnie smiles softly, hugging the bear slightly as she thinks back to the day they'd gotten it…for their _**daughter**_**.**

Bonnie had wanted to get some dolls, mainly cabbage patch. As a kid Bonnie had loved and had acquired an impressive collection of the cute dolls. She figured that maybe their daughter (Damon just _knew_ it was a girl) would like them as well.

Damon would not have it.

They were too girly for his little girl, he'd said, and then proceeded to pick out the blandest looking teddy bear in the store. No cute bow tie, no cute bow, no dress, just a plain, brown bear. But, she had to admit, it was a cute, brown bear. Their daughter would be a daddy's girl, Damon declared.

Bonnie looked down at the bear that her son had quickly become attached to, her heart clenching at the happy but now painful memory. She shook her head slightly, willing the memories away and simultaneously wondering why she just could not _**stop**_ thinking about her vampire ex.

"Okay! All ready!"

Bonnie looks up, bringing her mind back to the present, and she smiles at her son.

Gabriel runs over to his bed and jumps into it. Bonnie, whom is still sitting on the right side of the mattress, places the teddy bear into her son's hands.

"I was thinking, and I should've known Damon was my dad! He's a vampire!" the young boy starts rambling and Bonnie shakes her head. Judging by the levels of his excitement, it'll be a couple of hours before he actually falls asleep. "He has the same ring as Uncle Stefan!" Gabriel continues.

"Well he's Uncle Stefan's brother." Bonnie clarifies.

"I know! Cause Uncle Stefan told me it's a family ring! I should've known he was my father…" the boy finishes, voice trailing off as he face took on a thoughtful look.

"I bet Uncle Stefan will be happy to see him." Gabriel suddenly speaks again, smiling slightly. "And I bet we'll do _**loads**_ together." He's now grinning excitedly and Bonnie smiles sadly, practically sick at the thought of how sad Gabriel will be once he finds out that Damon has left town.

"Football, basketball, soccer, baseball, camping, you know, all the guy stuff!" the young boy beams and Bonnie can no longer take it. Perhaps its better to tell him now than to let his hopes build even more and then tell him…

"Gabe," Bonnie says softly.

"And maybe he'll let me get a leather jacket! A really cool one that –

"Gabe." Bonnie repeats louder and firmer, and Gabriel finally stops talking and stares at his mother expectantly.

"Damon's gone." She softly but firmly tells her son, swallowing, deciding on the band-aid rip off approach. Better to just get it over with than beat around the bush.

Gabriel scrunches up his nose in a confused frown.

"What?"

"Your father left town after our conversation. He's gone." Bonnie painfully says, feeling like absolute shit because _**she's**_ the reason that he's gone, the reason her son is now going to feel absolutely horrible, having met his father and lost him in the same night. It's all her fault.

"No" Gabriel simply says.

Okay. That hadn't been the reaction she'd expected…

"He wouldn't leave town. I just met him." He says, shaking his head for emphasis, except he's not shaking it as if in denial; he's shaking it as if he's sure, positive.

Bonnie feels even worst than she did before.

"I'm sorry Gabriel; he's gone." She whispers.

"He's not." Gabriel says, looking into his mother's eyes with a look that says that his decision is made and she's not going to change it. "You'll see."

Bonnie shakes her head sadly, and it is at this very moment, as if on cue, her senses began to tingle, moving all over the charts. She looks up, eyes going wide as saucers and mouth agape. Her mouth opens and closes but no words come out; she's shocked by what she feels but finally she finds her voice.

"Stay here" she instructs Gabriel before swiftly running through the house, downstairs, and towards the front door.

She senses him; it'd hit her all of a sudden and then grew unbearably strong within seconds. She senses him, Damon, but how? He's gone.

Bonnie heads to the door with purpose and is just about to open it when it is torn off the hinges before her eyes; a loud shout piercing her ears simultaneously.

Bonnie freezes in place at the sudden commotion and attempts to peer through the oncoming dust; she watches as Damon seemingly materializes in front of her doorway.

"Bonnie!" he calls out, cursing the invisible force field that is keeping him from bursting into her house.

Bonnie fans at the dust before her, coughing slightly as she makes her way over to her now doorless doorway.

"What the hell?!" she exclaims, looking at the mess that is the front of her house and taking note of her front door, resting a good yard away from its proclaimed spot. "What are you doing here?!" she glares angrily at Damon.

"Invite me in." Damon pants, ignoring her question, completely out of breath.

"_**Hell**_ no; what is going on?!" Bonnie demands, face a mixture of distraught and anger.

"Bonnie, invite me in; I'm serious." Damon says through clenched teeth, simultaneously looking to his side and over his shoulder.

"And I'm _**seriously**_ saying no." Bonnie retaliates, wondering why he is looking around as if someone is watching him. Did he get himself into trouble that quickly? Is someone after him?

"Bonnie our _**son**_ is in danger; invite me in damn it!!" Damon shouts, finally losing his patience, eyes intense.

What? Gabriel? Bonnie's eyes grow big in shock.

"Come in." she says softly, eyes unfocused.

"Where is he?" Damon demands entering the house and blindly moving through it.

"Upstairs" Bonnie answers and Damon moves towards the carpeted staircase, but is halted by a hand wrapping around his bicep. He turns and meets Bonnie's worried eyes. "Damon, what's going on?" she softly demands, eyes shining with dread.

Damon takes a deep breath; it feels like the first time he's breathed ever since he'd found out himself. He needs to tell Bonnie what happened, but he needs to tell her calmly; he knows she's going to freak; he needs to be strong for the both of them.

"The Sorcerer, the one you've been dreaming about," he starts, looking into her eyes, immediately missing the small skin contact they'd had when she removes her hand. "He's coming after Gabriel." He finally lets out.

"What?!?!" Bonnie exclaims loudly, face the epitome of shock and fear.

"He's coming after Gabriel." Damon repeats. "He's hunting him, looking for him; he wants to – I don't know; he wants him for his power." He sighs.

"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh." Bonnie says repeatedly, pacing back and forth where she stands.

The all powerful, dangerous Sorcerer she's been dreaming about is after her _**son.**_

"I've been putting protection spells over the house, but I didn't know…" she mutters to herself, before biting her bottom lip. "I didn't know the Sorcerer actually wanted…Gabriel." She finishes, eyes growing big and wild.

"God! And every time he left the _**house**_ – the sorcerer could be minutes away!" she exclaims, panicked, wringing her fingers, not quite sure what to do with herself, a mess of nerves and fear.

"Put the protection spells on Gabriel, now, go!" Damon instructs before following Bonnie up the staircase.

They nearly knock Gabriel over once they reach the top of the stairs. Of course he isn't in his room. Of course he's been eavesdropping.

The little boy seems to be frozen, in shock of what he's heard. He seems to be itching to ask questions, but perhaps senses the height of the situation, the danger they are all in, and is therefore quiet.

"Gabriel!" Bonnie exclaims before moving him to the upstairs walkway/hallway, placing her hand on top of his head, and proceeding to chant spells over him.

Damon watches this for a moment before making his way to Bonnie's bedroom, following her scent.

Her room is a couple of feet down the hall from Gabriel's room. Once inside, Damon rips open the closet, locates a couple of suit cases and proceeds to throw Bonnie's clothes into them, grabbing whatever he can find and tossing them hastily.

A couple of minutes later, Bonnie enters the room, a silent Gabriel behind her.

"What do we do now?" she breathes, before taking note of what Damon is doing. "What are you doing?!" she asks.

"You're going to the manor with me." Damon announces, not even looking up from his packing task. "We're staying there." He tells Bonnie.

"No." Bonnie says immediately; Damon doesn't have to look up to know that she's shaking her head. "I wouldn't want to impose on Elena and Stefan –

"Bonnie." Damon interrupts, looking up and into her eyes with a look that says it's not negotiable.

"Okay" Bonnie says softly.

"Gabriel go pack your things; I'll be in there to help you in a minute." Damon instructs his son.

Gabriel nods slowly before quietly exiting the room.

_Poor kid._ Damon thought to himself, feeling immense pity for his son. _Probably scared half to death._

Damon abandons Bonnie's closet and moves to her dresser, ripping open the drawers and retrieving clothes, after a few moments he notices that Bonnie is not helping him; in fact she has not moved or said any thing in quite some time.

He looks up to find her frozen in place, a terrified look on her features.

"I can't believe this is happening." She finally says softly, looking into space.

Damon slowly moves over to her. The whole night he's wanted nothing more than to wrap her in his arms, hug her, let her know that every thing was going to be okay. He however knew that this gesture, from him, would be unappreciated. It still would be, but right now, he didn't care.

Damon stands in front of Bonnie and firmly places his hands on her shoulders. Her eyes flash up to his, a vindictive look in them, but Damon doesn't move his arms.

"Hey. It's gonna be alright." He tells her lightly running his hands up and down her arms soothingly.

Bonnie's face softens and she nods, taking comfort in Damon's words. His hands still on her arms but do not move, and Bonnie looks up into Damon's eyes, hating the way her heart increased at his mere touch, and the way he could calm her down with practically no effort

She shakes her head at the thought, ripping her eyes away from his blue ones, and moving away from his touch.

"I've got to tell Jackson!" she suddenly announces quietly, moving to her night stand to retrieve her phone.

Damon scoffs, annoyed and incredulous.

"What do you've gotta tell him for?" he asks. "What's your weak human boyfriend gonna do?"

He goes back to her dresser to retrieve clothes, a dark smirk on his face. This Jackson kid was _**so**_ out of his league.

"He's a vampire Damon."

Damon freezes in place, standing in front of Bonnie's dresser. What? A mixture of emotions surge through him.

His handss slowly ball into angry fists.

"Guess I attract them." Her soft voice penetrates his ears and Damon loses it.

Bonnie feels a sharp wind blow past her face and turns around to find that she is alone.

**Author's note:**** Well dang, finally. It took me forever to write and post this and for that I'm sorry. I finally got the chapter to a point where I was satisfied. I hope that you all will be satisfied as well. I didn't proofread too much so SORRY for any mistakes!!...Your reviews are freakin rockin my socks off!! No joke! You guys have the BEST reviews!! Please don't stop them!!...And now, some words of encouragement. I'm going to start doing this at the end of all my chapters, though none of them will be nearly as LONG as this one is going to be. (Must go all out because it's a new year.) Hope these words encourage someone…It's a New Year! 2010 is finally here!! The year of "no fear," let's make it that. No fear this year. Set goals, high goals, and achieve them. You can do any thing when you put your mind to it. Pray in 2010, it really DOES change things. Set goals, pray about them, believe and have faith, and achieve your goals. The sky is the limit people! And most importantly, if you don't know Jesus, get to know him. I swear I'm not trying to push my religion on you, I just wouldn't feel right if I didn't tell people about him. I swear he's so awesome. Just knowing that he's there, in my heart with me always, gives me strength and hope for tomorrow. It's definitely the best decision I've ever made in my life, giving my life to God. If you don't know him yet, get to know him; I swear you won't be sorry. Also, let's eat better in 2010. People eat horribly, especially Americans! We're pitiful, disgusting! In 2010 we need to eat more vegetables and more fruit! Lay off of the junk and for heaven's sakes lay off of the fast food!! We don't need it as much as we think we do, I promise!! Try minimizing you intake and then cutting it out completely; you will feel liberated and healthy!! Let's make 2010 our best year yet! Spend time with your family! We're not guaranteed tomorrow and life is too short to go even a DAY without speaking! Don't put things off because again, we're not guaranteed tomorrow!! 2010 is going to be AWESOME!! Thanks so much for reading my chapter and for reading this, please review! God bless!! HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note:** **Okay I really wanted to get this out before the new "Vampire Diaries" premiere!!! (Yes!! The time has finally come for new episodes!!) But as you all know, I didn't make it. Sorry! But I did get this up before the NEXT episode, that's gotta count for something! No? Okay! (Laughs awkwardly) Movin on! It was kind of hard to finish this after last week's episode; just when you start to like Damon, you are reminded that he is ruthlessly evil! Did enjoy the Bonnie/Stefan moments though, but where's the Bamon!! That's what it's all about!! Glad Stefan and Elena are back on and WOW! Talk about plot!! Was not expecting…oh let's see ANY THING that happened on that episode!! Kevin Williamson is a freakin genius!! But anyways; I could talk about the show forever but then I would never get to the STORY!! I really hope you guys enjoy this; thanks a million times for your wonderful reviews, you guys are literally blowing my mind!!! This one goes out to you!! God bless and enjoy!! (To make up for the wait, I've made this chapter quite lenghty. THIS IS EXTREMELY LONG SO MAKE SURE YOU FIND A GOOD TIME TO READ IT, GO TO THE BATHROOM AHEAD OF TIME, GET A NAP IN THERE!! So sorry for the length, didn't realize it until I posted!! Forgive me please!)**

**Chapter 4**

Damon lies awake, in his bed, staring up at the ceiling in thought, the morning sun warming his skin, but doing nothing to warm his insides, as it filters in through the window.

His bed is comfortable, familiar; it gives him a sense of normalcy, being back at the manor, back in his lulling king sized bed. But not even Damon's plush mattress had kept him from experiencing the second worst night of sleep in his entire life.

There had just been too many things on his mind, way too much keeping him up. So much had happened in the short amount of time he'd been back in Mystic Falls. He'd found out he had a **_son_**, Gabriel; and then he'd found out that the dangerous Sorcerer, the very reason he'd returned to Mystic Falls, was after his son. How could he possibly sleep comfortably, knowing the immense danger his little boy was in?

But even as terrifying as the Gin Sorcerer was, he was not the thought at the **_front_** of the vampire's mind. It was her, Bonnie. It was always her; she was always on his mind, 24/7, 365 days a year. Thoughts of her only brutally added to Damon's cluttered mind. Not only was she with another man, but that other man was a **_vampire._** Damon couldn't believe it. He still can't.

When he'd learned about the "joyous" news, the previous night, he'd been furious, shocked and furious. He'd **_had_** to get out, out and away from her. He had to get away from her.

He hadn't actually **_left_** left of course; as angry as he was, the situation was much too dangerous for that. But he had disappeared into his son's room, where he'd proceeded to silently help pack his things, brushing off his questions with a simple, "Not now Gabriel."

He hadn't felt the best about blowing his son off like he was; but giving his anger level, any thing spoken by him would not have been nice, nor suited for a young audience.

Gabriel hadn't attempted any more questions after Damon's second brush off; and the two had continued to pack in silence.

A couple of minutes later, Bonnie had entered the room.

Damon couldn't look at her, wouldn't look at her; he ignored her presence and continued packing. After a few silent seconds, Bonnie joined him, moving swiftly around the room, gathering things. Damon could feel her eyes on him all the while, practically burning a hole in him, and he silently cursed himself for having such an obvious reaction to her earlier "news." The last thing he wanted was a pity party or a concerned concert, least of all from her.

Bonnie's staring only made Damon angrier; he wanted to lash out, tell her to stop fucking staring; he was fine! But he knew that this would do nothing except prove that he was in fact **_not_** fine, and how much her vampire-boyfriend news really had upset him. So he chose to simply continue ignoring her.

Damon's movements became more frantic as anger overtook him with each passing second, but even more than anger, fear. The Gin Sorcerer could be anywhere from no where near, to seconds away from his family; it was nerve-wracking to say the very least.

Damon huffed, running a nervous hand through his brown locks before emptying his son's last drawer and simultaneously deciding that enough was enough. Yes he was furious at Bonnie, hurt, annoyed, jealous, and furious; and yes he thought that stabbing him in the gut might have been less painful than her dating a vampire, but times were desperate. It was no time for a silent treatment; he needed to suck up his pride and make sure his family got to a safe location.

"Damon" Bonnie had started softly.

"C'mon. Let's get out of here. We don't know how far away this guy is and we **_need_** to go."

Okay so maybe he hadn't "sucked it" **_all_** the way up; perhaps he had interrupted Bonnie because he simply hadn't wanted to hear what she had to say; but either way, they'd **_needed_** to get out of the house and now that was happening.

Bonnie silently nodded in response to Damon's words and Damon made a grab for some bags and helped Gabriel put on his small backpack before grabbing more bags for himself. Out of the corner of his eye, Damon saw Bonnie grab something off of the small twin bed and hand it to their son. He tried to ignore the way his heart swelled at the sight of the small bear he'd bought all those years ago. So what; so what if she had actually given their child the bear he'd bought, after all he'd put her through, she had a vampire boyfriend!

Damon rolled his eyes at his childish thoughts before directing his attention fully to his ex-girlfriend.

"Can you do a spell that makes it look like you left on vacation, not like you left in a hurry?" He asked.

He remembered that, before he'd left, Bonnie had been growing extremely powerful; she was even able to create her own spells; he hoped that this was a skill that had stayed with her, hopefully manifested even.

Realization seemed to dawn on her at Damon's words and she nodded her head.

"Of course" she said softly. A thoughtful expression appeared on her face for a brief moment before she started speaking. "We must leave this house so dear, but for the purpose of vacation make it appear."

Damon watched as clothes filled the closet and drawers; some hangers were left empty though and some drawers not completely filled. The room grew tidier, more organized, and the lights went out as well. Damon, although it was the **_last_** thing he wanted to admit with the animosity he felt, was truly impressed by Bonnie. Not every witch had the power to perform rhyme spells. She did, and she was amazing at coming up with them on the spot. She was truly quite the powerful witch.

"Okay, c'mon." Damon spoke with authority before thrusting his son onto his back and wrapping a protective arm tightly around Bonnie's waist. He needed to have them near, needed to know that they were safe; he couldn't risk someone sneaking up and grabbing them.

Surprisingly Bonnie didn't object to Damon's actions and merely allowed herself to be led through the house and out of the front door.

"Do we take the car?" Bonnie questioned once they were outside, eyeing the red Altima in her driveway.

"We don't know how much this guy knows." Damon spoke, shaking his head. "Transfigure it." he'd instructed.

Bonnie had nodded before quickly turning the car into a basketball and sending it into the backyard.

The rest of the story is pretty boring actually. Damon had slightly lifted Bonnie off of the ground, his right hand still firm around her waist and his left firm around Gabriel's clinging legs. He'd ran swiftly to the parking lot of a local Wendy's and retrieved his car. Then they'd driven swiftly to the manor, where they were now.

Damon sighs as the events of last night flood his brain, all thoughts of sleep forsaken and given up on. He rises out of bed with a slight groan, running his fingers through his hair.

He decides to take a shower, any thing to avoid letting his mind wander further. He doesn't want to think about the boring events of the previous night, doesn't want to think of his return to the manor, his interrogation/mental beat down (via his loving brother Stefan), or his tiresome explanation of the dangerous situation they'd found themselves to be in. He most importantly doesn't want to think about the entrance of Bonnie's boyfriend, Jackson **_Gutierrez _**he'd later discovered after Bonnie so **_graciously_** introduced them.

Damon's hands clench into fists at the mere thought of the Latino and he takes a deep calming breath, trying to calm the vampire inside of him, the enraged monster that is roaring with jealousy and possessiveness because Bonnie is **_his_**, no one else's.

It takes Damon several seconds to get his fangs to disappear and his eyes and face back to normal, but finally he does and finally he steps into his bathroom and sheds his clothes. Perhaps the shower will calm his nerves…

Damon steps into the steamy water, allowing the warmth to cascade down his body hoping that it will in turn warm his cold core.

He grabs the bar of dial soap (He likes the old fashioned stuff, no shower gel for him.) and scrubs himself clean attempting to wipe his anger away with the dirt of the previous day.

As much as he's trying to fight it, he feels his mind began to wander once more. He struggles to keep his mind off of yesterday, tries to think about that old guy that was on American Idol.

"Pants on the ground, pants on the ground, lookin like a fool with your pants on the ground." Damon sings softly to himself, but it's no use; soon Damon finds his mind in a completely different place entirely. At least it hasn't gone to the thing he wants most not to think of.

It wanders back to his return to the Salvatore Manor.

He still has a key to the place, keeps it on him at all times, but Bonnie **_insisted_** on him knocking, said it would be rude just to burst in. Whatever.

So naturally he'd knocked.

To say that Stefan was **_surprised_** to see him would have been the understatement of the year. He'd literally spit out the wine he'd been drinking, thankfully he and his family had been standing a safe distance away.

At this **_classic_** display of shock, Damon of course couldn't help but display his trademark smirk.

"Hey" he'd said, smirking all the while.

Stefan had then marched out of the house, an intense expression on his face (well he **_is_** Stefan) and punched Damon right across the jaw.

So much for the hearty welcome… Well "hey" probably wasn't the best thing to say after a hasty leave and five years of absence…year probably not…

Damon had merely grasped his jaw moving it around, feeling it heal itself simultaneously.

"Good to know you missed me brother." He'd let out sarcastically.

"You asshole!" Stefan had growled.

"Name calling, that's mature. Not to mention in front of my son, nice."

"You don't even have the right to call him that!!"

"You'd better watch who you're fuckin talking to."

"Guys!" Bonnie had then interrupted. Both the brothers stopped instantly and turned their attention to the witch, meeting hazel eyes that were filled with worry. "We don't have time for this." She told them, fixing Damon with a pointed look.

Damon had then relented, sighing.

"She's right." He said turning to Stefan, but his brother's eyes were fixed on Bonnie and filled with concern.

"What's going on Bonnie?"

"We'll explain inside." She'd replied, a certain urgency about her; and Stefan, getting the idea, finally moved aside letting them into the huge manor.

Damon touches his jaw at the thought of the recent memory. Stefan was getting strong apparently; his punch was actually packing something for once...or perhaps Damon's lack of fresh human blood had merely weakened him…

Damon bushes off the thought before working shampoo into his hair and singing softly to himself.

"I want someone to love me, who I am. I want someone to need me; is that so bad." _That Nick Jonas kid really was alright… _

The rest of the Stefan moment had been pretty boring, he had been interrogated basically. Stefan had demanded to know why he was back. He'd told him and then explained the even bigger problem. After hearing this, Stefan forgot about Damon.

Elena was oddly quiet through all of it. Even when she'd seen him; she hadn't slapped him, hugged him, nothing. She'd just stood there, staring. That's pretty much what she did the entire night, stare at him, stare at Bonnie, stare at Gabriel, and from moment to moment put in her thoughts about the Gin Sorcerer. It was all extremely odd for the overprotective best friend; he'd thought for sure she'd have been in jail for attempted murder that night, not staring and comatose.

Any ways, they'd stayed up for about an hour, talking about the Sorcerer and trying to come up with a plan on how to fight him, but then they'd caught sight of Gabriel yawning tiredly (its contagious you know) and Bonnie had suggested they all turn in for the night. They'd be no good against the Sorcerer if they didn't sleep.

And so they'd made ready for bed, Bonnie putting protective spells on the house, and tucking an exhausted Gabriel into bed.

Damon sighs deeply, rinsing the shampoo out of his head and simultaneously destroying his suddy Mohawk as his mind wanders to the conversation he'd been trying most to forget about.

He steps out of the shower as he feels anger surge through his body at the mere memory of it all, the memory of Jackson entering the manor, not long after Gabriel was put to bed, the memory of Bonnie excitedly answering the door and jumping into his arms, the memory of the two sharing a chaste kiss. It urkes his entire being to think about it.

"Jax! How's it goin?!" Stefan had exclaimed happily, wrapping the other man in a man hug. And it was all like some sick family reunion where **_Jax_** was Stefan's brother and he was merely an evil villain. (What else is new?)

"Well not too good I hear." Jackson answered, looking sadly at Stefan. "Baby girl called me, so I'm here."

**_Baby girl? Bonnie's not a girl, she's a woman. _**Damon thought to himself, and couldn't help the eyeroll that was practically begging to help display his annoyance.

"Although I still don't know what's going on…"

"I'll tell you later." Bonnie had assured, looking up at Jackson, whom suddenly seemed to notice the staring Damon and in turn stared back at him.

Bonnie had then cleared her throat before awkwardly introducing them.

"Jackson this is Damon, Damon - Jackson Gutierrez."

Damon had shaken his head, but all he could think of was how completely pathetic Bonnie **_Gutierrez_** sounded...now Bonnie **_Salvatore_**? That was simply beautiful.

It was almost ironic that he'd been contemplating last names because a second later Jackson had pulled out a black ring box, and all Damon could think was, what the hell, are you freakin serious? Except it was more like, **WHAT THE HELL?! ARE YOU FREAKIN SERIOUS?!?! IS HE ABOUT TO FUCKIN PROPOSE TO HER, NOW, RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME?!**

"Here. Picked it up before I came over, thought it might cheer you up." He said, opening up the box and retrieving a diamond ring, and yes, it's a nice size too. Damn it.

"You guys are married?!" Damon had blurted at the sight of Jackson placing the ring onto Bonnie's ring finger, horror written all over his face.

"Engaged" Bonnie had answered, blushing madly at Damon.

"Going on a month." Jackson smiled proudly. "Finally paid off the ring yesterday and picked it up today."

Damon just stared blankly in response at the happy couple, for about a couple of minutes.

They'd stared awkwardly back, and the silence was awkward and it was all just **_very_** awkward.

Finally Damon was able to wake himself from his moment of induced shock and walked off, just walked off, like that, no warning, no goodbye. He just turned and walked, thinking he needed to get to his room quickly because he was going to throw up out of disgust, and then he was going to storm into the front room, kick Jackson's **_ass_**, **_kill_** him, and then kick his ass again.

Damon had been so angry he could barely see straight. All he could see was red. He actually had left after this, thinking he didn't even need to be in the same **_house_** at the moment. He'd gone to his car and listened to his ipod, turning it up to maximum capacity, blocking out all sound in the manor, blocking out the world.

Over the past five years, music had become one of his escapes, one of things that helped him to cope, helped calm him, brought him brief happiness. But as the pulsing beat and lyrics of NLT's "Heartburn" filled his ears, all he could think about was how fitting the lyrics were to his current situation. He couldn't even seem to bop his head or move his body like he normally did; he merely listened, blood boiling all the while.

After a couple hours of nonstop music: Rock, Rap, R&B, Country, Classical, you name it he listened to it, he was finally calm enough to go back inside where he'd (my second time saying) proceeded to have the second worst night of sleep in his entire, long life.

Damon punches the bathroom wall in anger of the painful memory, careful not too actually do any damage to his bathroom.

He can't believe it. Right when he'd thought, nothing more eventful could happen that night, he'd found out that Bonnie, **_his_** Bonnie was engaged. **_Bonnie is fuckin engaged!!_** He can barely sit still he feels he may go insane if he doesn't do something; but what exactly would he do? He doesn't exactly know but he's pretty sure it would not help Bonnie to forgive his past transgressions, probably make her swear him off forever in fact.

So putting aside all thoughts/plans of murder, Damon takes a deep, calming breath before emerging from the bathroom, towel around waist and another in his hand as he dries his hair.

He quickly dries himself and throws on a pair of dark jeans and opts for a white v-neck instead of his usual black shirt.

Damon runs a hand through his still wet hair before deciding to let it air dry. He slowly moves across his room, in search of something, something that's been on his mind since the previous night, something that up until now he'd been too furious to sought out.

Just as he is about to remove the book from the bookshelf that shields his treasure, there is a light knock on his door and moments later Stefan enters, a solemn look on his face.

"Sure Stefan, come in." Damon lets out sarcastically.

The youngest Salvatore merely closes the door behind himself and makes his way further into the room.

_What, no comeback?_ Damon thinks to himself as he arches a curious eyebrow at his brother. Given the abrupt end to his **_kind_** words the previous night, Damon had thought he'd be jumping in excitement at the prospect of a resume.

"Sleep alright?" Stefan finally says, face as overly intense and dramatic as ever.

"Perfectly" Damon throws back sarcastically, wondering why his brother insisted on asking questions he already knew the answers to, and wondering even more why he was being less bitchy than he'd been last night.

"Right" Stefan nods a slight smile on his face and Damon can't help but crack a smirk. Maybe his brother had decided to finally lighten up on him, if his smile was any consolation. Damon could always count on his brother to get his humor no matter how futile times were. Heck even when he was evil, he'd gotten the younger Salvatore to crack a few smiles at his jokes.

Stefan's smile soon disappears though and he becomes serious. **_Isn't he always…_**

"What's the game plan?" he asks, fixing Damon with a stern look.

Damon doesn't have to ask what he means. He knows that his brother, much like himself, has been stressing about their Sorcerer situation. He is determined to keep his nephew safe, much like Damon is determined.

"I figure we go see Shelia once everyone is up, you and Bonnie that is." Damon informs. "You guys can get some of her advanced spell books, and see if she knows any thing about this guy."

"Shouldn't **_you_** go with Bonnie." Stefan speaks, voice all advising father-like; Damon hates it.

"Gabe needs one of his parents to stay with him; besides I don't really want to be around her right now." Damon states, eyes growing big as he says the last part and fixes his brother with a meaningful look to make sure he gets the point.

"Damn it Damon, put your personal issues to the side will you?!" Stefan roars unmercifully and all Damon can think is, whoa, bi-polar much?

"You don't even know the half of it Stef," Damon lets out through gritted teeth, looking at his brother with venomous eyes, "So stop the greater than thou speech."

"I know more than you think I do."

"**_Bonnie's dating a complete tool, punk, asshole; and guess what?! He's a fucking vampire! And guess what else! She's fuckin engaged to him!!!! Do you know what a kick in the balls that is?!_"** Damon exclaims, huffing as he paces around the room, now completely worked up and agitated.

"**_Imagine how much worst it felt for her when you LEFT!_" **Stefan yells back and Damon faces his brother sharply to see the younger Vampire glaring at him angrily; Damon wonders if he's ever seen his brother look this angry. "**_I_** don't know the half of it? **_You_** don't know the half of it; you don't know **_any_** of it." he says, voice calmer but with a certain edge to it. "You have no idea what you put her through." He speaks through tightly clenched teeth.

Damon's face becomes solemn at his brother's words, and he sits down at the foot of his bed, thinking that he will need to be seated for what he's about to hear. He knows he's screwed up.

"Gosh! You think you can just waltz back into Mystic Falls and pitch a fit because of your ex-girlfriend's choice in **_boyfriends?!_** You have **_no_** right!" Stefan yells, pacing the room but glaring ever so often at Damon. "Do you have any idea what you put her through?!" he repeats his statement from earlier, except he seems to be even angrier now, growing angrier by the mere thought of the past. Jesus what **_did_** he put her through? "No! You don't! You have **_no_** idea how much you hurt her, how much of an impact you had on her!! Did you know that she cried herself to sleep every night for **_over a year after you left?!_** **_Cried_** herself to sleep!!!"

Damon's heart clenches at his brother's words. The thought of Bonnie crying herself to sleep because of him does a little more than break his heart into a million pieces.

"Did you know that she was in such a bad depression that she ended up giving birth to Gabriel way ahead of the time she was supposed to?! Did you know that he almost **_died_**, that it's a miracle he's here today?! Did you fuckin know that Bonnie was so **_depressed_** that she couldn't even take care of him for the first six months of his life?!" Stefan continues, ruthlessly.

He's furious at Damon, it's obvious. And honestly, Damon can't blame him. The oldest Salvatore has never been filled with such self loathe as he is now. He is ashamed, angry, guilty, but most of all sad. He can't believe all the hurt he caused Bonnie, his Bonnie. He'd caused her so much pain. He'd already felt sorry for leaving but now, it was painful how sorry he felt. He felt like the scum of the earth. He loved her so much. How could he hurt the person he loved more than anything in the world? He'd hurt her so badly, so badly that he wonders how he could've ever **_entertained_** the thought of winning her heart back.

She probably hates him, and with good reason.

Damon fights to force down the lump in his throat; the thought of his Bonnie sad, depressed and crying every night is enough to push him over the edge.

"When you left, you nearly ruined her." Stefan says quietly, looking off into space, a pained expression on his face. "I don't care if she dates a freakin dwarf; I'm just happy she's finally moved on from you." He quietly says before looking up at Damon, a sad expression on his face. "I don't hate you for what you did Damon…I hate what you did, but I could never hate you." He informs, face solemn once more. "I do think that you should let Bonnie be happy though. Stop giving her a hard time about Jackson; she doesn't deserve it, least of all from you." He finishes.

Damon nods silently. He can't seem to bring himself to speak after all he's heard. As much as he hates it, he knows his brother is right. He has no right to be angry about Bonnie being with Jackson or the fact that he's a vampire; he's the one who'd left all those years ago. He'd caused her a terrible amount of pain. Perhaps what he needed to do now was simply but out. Protect her and protect his son, but nothing more. He had no right to ask for any thing more.

Stefan sighs before making his way to the door.

"I will take Bonnie over to Grams' house once everyone is up." He says quietly, turning to look at his brother once more. He doesn't feel particularly good for laying in on his Damon; that's just Stefan, but it did feel good to finally get his anger out after all of these years. He hadn't wanted to hurt him though, merely talk some sense into him, make him see what him leaving had caused.

Damon nods gratefully at Stefan.

"Thanks" he says quietly.

Stefan nods in response before turning the doorknob to leave.

"I really am sorry…for every thing." Damon says before Stefan leaves.

The younger Salvatore turns around one last time and smiles sadly at his brother.

"I'm not the one who deserves the apology." He says, fixing his brother with a pointed look.

He then nods his goodbye and exits the room.

Damon just sits there for a couple of seconds. He just sits, staring off into space until he can't stand it any more, can't stand the visions of a broken, sad, and depressed Bonnie playing in his head. He has to see her, watch her sleeping form, caress her cheek and tell her how sorry he is, how sorry he is for hurting her so very much. He just needs to tell her he's sorry, even if he tells her while she's sleeping.

Damon takes a deep breath, simultaneously running his fingers through his hair, before standing and making his way out of the bedroom.

He has to use his sensitive ears in order to find her. He'd stormed out of the living room, the previous night, before he could find out what room she was staying in; and it wasn't like she'd ever stayed in any other room at the manor besides his, and that prospect was ruled out obviously.

Damon strains his ears and it isn't long before he hears Bonnie's soft breathing. He distinguishes it from Elena's with ease, after all this is the woman he used to know like the back of his hand.

The vampire frowns as he picks up another sound close to Bonnie's soft, calming breaths, something loud and resembling a growling lion. Damon makes his way to Bonnie's room and opens the door quietly, not all the way, just enough so his head is visible and he can clearly see inside. He realizes right away that Jackson is the growling animal, just one more strike against him; the man snores like a horse. But then again why is he comparing himself to the man that's already won. He told himself he would let Bonnie be, let her be happy with Jackson; it was just a little easier said than done.

Damon sighs to himself before fixing his eyes on the beautiful woman in the bed; he ignores the fact that Jackson's arm is wrapped protectively around her waist, ignores the longing and disappointment he feels from not being able to touch her. Jackson, with his sensitive vampire senses, would surely wake up.

So he just stands there, stands there and admires her beauty, appreciates how truly beautiful she is, how beautiful she always had been. _God you're beautiful Bonnie. _Damon thinks to himself, and he hears Bonnie whimper softly in her sleep. He can't help but smile at the sound; it was almost as if she'd heard him, but like **_that_** could happen, especially since she was asleep.

Damon watches how her chest rises and falls as she breathes, and takes comfort in it, comfort in her. He takes solace in knowing that he will get to make things up to her, make her twice as happy as she ever was sad; he'll do it, he's determined to, even if it means giving her away to Jackson, just as long as she's happy. _I'll make it up to you Bon, I swear I'll make it up to you._

Damon knows he should be leaving, but he just can't tear his eyes away from his witch. He'd always enjoyed watching her sleep, she just looked so peaceful, at ease with the world. So he continues to stare, taking this rare private moment to trace over every single feature of the beautiful woman's face.

He traces her beautiful long eyelashes, her perfect button nose, and is just about to admire her lips when his thoughts are interrupted.

"Hey" a little voice whispers, and Damon looks down to see a smiling Gabriel to his right, and holy moly is that a **_knowing_** look on his face?! You're not even supposed to know how to make that face at such a young age, and what the heck does his son think he knows?!

Normally Damon would be royally pissed at anyone who ruined any moment he was having with Bonnie, even a one-sided moment, but Damon couldn't be angry with Gabriel. He was his son, he was the spitting image of Bonnie (besides the manly parts he'd gotten from him of course), and lets just face it the kid was adorable.

"Morning Gabriel" Damon greets, even offering a smile to the young boy.

"You can call me Gabe." His son returns, smiling brightly.

Damon nods in reply, ignoring the happiness that surges through him at the kind gesture. What the heck is he, some sensitive Sal?! Pathetic father who gets overly happy at any act of kindness his kid shows him?! Yeah, probably…

Damon closes the door before him, obviously his, borderline creepy and pathetic, staring session is over.

"I'm guessing you're hungry." He speaks, directing his attention to his son, thankful that he hasn't said any thing in regards to him staring at his mother.

"Starved; I eat twice the amount I should be able to fit in my belly, you know." Gabriel rattles off matter-of-factly. "At least that's what momma says…"

"Sounds like me…" Damon says to himself in thought.

"Well I **_am_** your son." Gabriel replies, and there goes that stupid feeling of pride and happiness. It's an extreme comfort to know that at least his son isn't upset with him, but of course that's more than likely because he doesn't know the entire story.

"Yes you are." Damon says in response, a smile on his face that he can't seem to diminish or wipe away. "How about some famous Bonnie Bennett chocolate pancakes?" the new father questions, overcome with a bout of calm and happiness.

"Mommy has famous pancakes?!" Gabriel exclaims in surprise. It's actually pretty cute, especially the **_mommy_** part, which Bonnie had better enjoy because in a couple of years it will be no more, and the **_mom_** days will have come.

"Of course she does. Surely you've had them before." Damon answers carelessly, leading them down the hall and to the stairs.

"Mom doesn't really make pancakes; I've only had them twice: once at my friend Jimmy's house and the other time when we went to go visit Uncle Matt and Aunt Caroline; Uncle Matt **_loves_** them." The young boy rattles off as they make their way downstairs. Damon smiles sadly to himself. It seemed like all of the couples had made it to their happily ever after except him and Bonnie. He was happy for all of them, but still…

"Well it doesn't matter how many pancakes you've tasted, Bonnie Bennett's are the best." He says, brushing off the feelings of guilt, sadness, and bitterness.

"Really?" Gabriel questions, face the epitome of excitement.

"You're mom had me damn near hooked on them when we were together." He says matter-of-factly.

"Don't swear around him; Bonnie will kill you." A passing Stefan says with a smirk on his face as he enters the kitchen and heads towards the coffee maker.

"Okay." Damon returns before turning his attention to Stefan. "You're **_mother_** had me hooked on them." He says, looking at Stefan all the while whom in turn holds up the okay sign, smiling in amusement all the while, before fixing his coffee and exiting the room.

"Why'd you guys break up? Mommy won't tell me." Gabriel's asks, face scrunched up curiously.

"And neither will I." Damon answers, sounding extremely father-like to himself, and there he goes yet again feeling proud of himself. What the heck is wrong with him; he's lost his mind!! "It's much too complicated and troublesome for you." He finishes.

"But you still love her, don't you?" his son asks quietly, and there goes that knowing look again. Oh well. Damon's not gonna lie, especially about this, and especially not to his son. He's done lying, done hurting.

"Of course I do." He answers with ease. "You're mom…she's amazing."

"Then you should be with her."

Damon's caught extremely off guard by his son's words. Gabriel has just met him, how could he want him to be with his mother, how could he trust him enough to do so, how?!

"What about Jackson?" Damon finds himself asking.

"Oh he's alright. But mom should be with you. Then I'll have both of my parents; besides she still loves you too."

Damon downright scoffs at his son's words, he's just so confident as he says them that Damon can hardly believe it, nor believe what he's just said.

"And how do **_you_** know?" he asks, smirking slightly.

"Because…she looks at you the same way you look at her, the way Uncle Stefan and Aunt Elena look at each other." Gabriel says, blue eyes shining intensely as he speaks.

_Really? _Damon's heart rate increases slightly before he quickly calms himself down with the reminder of his and Stefan's earlier conversation.

"Yeah, well I'm not so sure there's much of a chance left for your mom and me." He sadly admits.

"There is!" Gabriel exclaims instantly, and the sureness, displayed in his son, warms his heart and makes him smile sadly to himself because he knows that there is not a chance, probably not a chance in hell. "You just wait; you'll see." His son assures.

"Yeah, well in the mean time…I'm gonna teach you how to make your mom's famous pancakes." Damon says, deciding that they are in the huge need of a subject change.

"I get to make them **_with_** you?!" Gabriel exclaims excitedly.

"Yeah. You make stuff with your mom all the time, don't you?"

"Yeah. But not my dad..."

Damon's heart fills with guilt at his son's words, but he buries it and continues with the subject at hand.

"Have you ever made her breakfast?"

"No"

"Well every son should make his mother breakfast at least once in their life; today's your day." Damon announces, fixing his son with a stern look.

"Awesome" Gabriel says softly, voice full of awe and amazement.

Damon smiles in amusement before running a hand over his son's curls and pointing towards the refrigerator.

"Go grab the yellow box with the blue writing out of there." He instructs, watching as the young boy excitedly scurries off.

*****************************BAMON******************************

Bonnie is awaken this morning by a smell, a familiar smell, a smell she has not smelled in a very long time.

She immediately jumps out of bed at the alluring fragrance; she knows what it is. She just can't believe it.

The sounds of the running shower in the bedroom she inhabits, invades her hearing but is soon overtaken and forgotten by the sound of pots and pans and voices.

Bonnie follows the sounds, follows the smell downstairs and into the kitchen where she stands in the archway in shock.

There in front of her is her son and Damon leaning over the stove, watching as a yellow pancake begins to brown. Their faces are slightly covered in a white substance which Bonnie decides is Bisquick pancake mix, judging by the box on the counter. She eyes a bowl on the counter with traces of melted chocolate in it. They're making her special chocolate pancakes, they are, her son and **_Damon._** She should be upset, furious actually; after all she'd told Damon, made it **_perfectly_** clear that she didn't want him around her son. But all the sight does is warm her heart.

"Okay this is the last one so we've got to make it good." She hears Damon's voice quietly speak to their son, the gentleness of it making her heart clench.

"Mom is going to love these!" she hears Gabriel whisper excitedly before fist pounding a smiling Damon.

The sight nearly shocks Bonnie into stupor. She can't believe how close the two seem, how well they get along, and how naturally Damon seems to have slipped into father mode. It is all completely overwhelming and, as much as she hates to admit it, sweet.

Bonnie is now confused more than ever by Damon, confused by his actions towards her son, towards her, towards Jackson, just confused.

Damon didn't love her. She knew this, otherwise he wouldn't have left, and he wouldn't have stayed gone for nearly five years. He didn't love her; he'd moved on. It had taken her years to come to terms with this but she knew it to be true. Yet, he would look at her, look at her as if she were the only thing that existed in the world. Why was that? And why the heck was he so jealous. That confused her immensely. She didn't think he'd **_care_**, let alone be painstakingly jealous of her vampire fiancé, but he was. Why?

And now she sees him spending time with their son; he's making such a hard effort and she doesn't know why. She's never been so confused, and she refuses to be a fool. Not this time, not again, ever. She won't fall for his tricks, won't fall for his "good guy" act. She won't give in to the way her heart practically cries out for him. She won't give in to the feelings she'd buried that seemed to rush back, with the speed of light, at the mere sight of him. She will not let herself fall for him again.

"Go get some milk out of the fridge." Bonnie is awaken from her thoughts at the sound of Damon's voice. She watches as the vampire retrieves the last pancake from the pan and places it along with the others on the big plate of beautiful tan pancakes.

Gabriel nods, in response to his father's instructions, before hopping off of the chair he is standing on and sprinting towards the refrigerator.

"Don't run." Bonnie hears Damon's voice speak, taking the words right out of her mouth. He really did have a knack for the father thing.

Gabriel slows abruptly at his father's words, and this is when he catches sight of his mother standing in the doorway.

"Momma!" he exclaims happily, running into her legs and hugging them tightly. Bonnie bends down and returns the hug with equal force before kissing her son on the cheek.

"Morning Gabe." She says quietly.

"Momma, dad taught me how to make your special pancakes!! It was so much fun!! We made the batter, then we melted the chocolate chips in the microwave and mixed it **_with_** the batter!! Then we cooked it and wola chocolate pancakes!" Gabriel exclaims, practically bouncing up and down with excitement.

Bonnie smiles down at him before fixing her eyes on Damon, who meets her gaze with a solemn smile. Solemn, Damon??

"Good morning." He says before looking away slightly.

"Morning" Bonnie returns softly, eyes still fixed on him as she searches for something, what, she doesn't know, but still she searches.

"C'mon mom! You've got to try them! We made them for you!!" an excited Gabriel exclaims, pulling at his mother's hands.

Bonnie allows herself to be led over to the stove.

"Thanks baby, but your father and I need to talk first." She says, glancing over at Damon, whom in turn looks at her.

"We need to talk." She tells him, holding his gaze. It's high time she got to the bottom of things; she needs to know where he stands with every thing, with their son, with her.

A feeling of dread overcomes the vampire. The entire morning all he's wanted to do is talk to Bonnie, tell her how sorry he is, but that is certainly not the case now. He doesn't know **_what_** Bonnie wants to talk about, but he knows for certain that he doesn't want to talk to her. Judging by the tone of her voice, their conversation would not be pleasant; her tone had break-up conversation written all over it. Of course he knew they were already broken up, but that still didn't ease his mind any**_._**

"Sorry; I'm kind of busy as you see –

"Damon" Bonnie interrupts with a stern look on her face. Damn it; she's not buying it.

Damon shuts his mouth and nods in contempt before following Bonnie out of the kitchen to what feels like his death sentence.

"Damon!" suddenly someone latches onto his arm and Damon is surprised to see that it is a smiling Elena. "Just the person I was looking for! I need to talk to you." She informs, and the Hallelujah chorus is going off in Damon's head and honestly the girl's never had better timing.

"Oh, darn Bonnie, guess that talk's gonna have to wait!" Damon says quickly before moving to follow Elena.

"Elena can't this wait; I need to talk to him." Bonnie objects, groaning in frustration.

"Sorry Bon, no can do! It's really important." the peppy brunette announces before dragging Damon over to a table in the study/living room they are in.

"What can you do?" Damon echoes, giving Bonnie a faux look of sympathy as he shrugs sadly before sitting down at the small table with Elena.

He watches as Bonnie makes her way to the kitchen, across the hall from them. Phew! That was incredibly too close.

"I'm glad you're back." Elena's voice penetrates his thoughts, but he's almost positive he's heard wrong. There's no chance in hell she just said what he thinks she did!

"Come again?" Damon questions, eyeing his brother's wife with deep confusion.

"I'm glad you're back." She repeats, face expressionless the whole time but my gosh she actually did say what he'd heard. Wow.

"Seriously?" he questions suspiciously.

"Yeah." She answers. "Don't get me wrong though; I'm extremely pissed at you too."

Oh. Oh?

"I'm so angry I don't know whether to **_slap_** you, curse you out, punch you, or kick you in the balls." the brunette lets out. "At first I thought I might do all four simultaneously, but then decided to just play it by ear."

_Thank God. _He really didn't feel like getting kicked in the balls, and had a feeling that Elena's kick would hurt a little more than others.

"Thanks?" he says uncertainly.

"I really am glad you're here though." She repeats once more and Damon's thinking, okay third time she's said that. She does know that I'm in **_love_** with **_Bonnie_**, right? I don't want her; those days are long gone, besides I would never do that to Stefan…"Gabriel needs his father and Bonnie needs you to."

_Phew. Okay so she doesn't want me. Good cause that would just cause way too many issues and I'm already up shits creek with those things…_

Damon would love nothing more than to be Gabriel's father, to be with Bonnie, finally marry her, like he'd wanted to all those years ago. But he knows that this will never happen, doesn't even want to entertain the thought.

"I'm not here for that Elena." he informs firmly. "I'm just here to keep them safe. When this whole Sorcerer thing is over, I'm leaving." Damon tells her.

"You've got to be freakin kidding me." The petite woman exclaims, glaring at him incredulously. "Obviously you were dumb enough to leave a first time, but please don't tell me you're dumb enough to do it again." She says, eyes burning intensely into his.

Damon sighs heavily, defeated.

"She's moved on Elena. Bonnie's moved on." He says before running a frustrated hand through his hair. "And I'm…I'm not going to disrupt her life. I'm not going to hold her back. No. Not now. Not when she's finally found love." He finishes, overwhelmed by how hard it was for him to say the words, but its true. He will not ruin Bonnie's chance at happiness, not after all he's caused her.

"She loves you, Damon." Elena says firmly and Damon cannot believe that she's actually telling him this, that she actually believes this as strongly as she appears to. He will not change his mind though; he will not listen to impossible things. That's what Elena is saying, impossible things. How could Bonnie possibly love him after all the hurt he's caused her? She can't. It was as simple as that.

"No she doesn't." Damon says firmly. "She could never love me after what I've put her through." He states. "I will not ruin her happiness for the sake of my own. Not again." He says.

"And did you find happiness, Damon?" Elena questions, jaw fixed as she changes the subject, mind angrily traveling back to the day he'd left, the reason he'd left.

Her question silences Damon and all he can do is think about what a horrible mistake he'd made all those years ago.

"Look, yes you screwed up." Elena sighs after a couple moments of silence. "I mean royally fucked up worst than I've ever seen anyone do…but you can't give up." She finishes softly. "Lord knows if Stefan ever left me, which I would seriously hurt him if he did, and returned and didn't at least **_try_** to fight for my affections, I'd…" she veers off, shaking her head vehemently at the thought as she tries to form words to express herself, but fails.

Damon lets her words sink in and take meaning, but still remains silent.

"You'll never know if you don't try." Elena's soft voice interrupts his thoughts once more. "Trust me; Bonnie may love this guy, but she'll never love him as **_much_** as she loves you…" Damon looks up at Elena at this, practically hanging off of her every word now. "She thinks she wants to be with him, but I think she'd much rather be with the man who consumes her every thought, her entire being, the man who makes her feel like no other man will ever be able to make her feel." Elena finishes.

"I **_do_** love her Elena." Damon says looking down, nostrils flared and jaw clenched as he confesses his heart to the brunette.

"I know" she says quietly.

"Do you think I actually have a chance?" he asks, unsure.

"Yeah! Heck yeah!" Elena answers without a moment of hesitation, sighing in relief at the prospect that she was finally getting through to him.

Damon nods slowly to himself before fixing Elena with a look of determination.

"Then I'm gonna fight for her." He says firmly.

Elena's eyes grow big at his words and her eyebrows raise in happy interest before her face becomes serious and she speaks once more.

"And you're not gonna give up?"

"I'm not gonna give up." Damon returns. "She'll be the greatest thing I've ever fought for and I will not stop fighting until she tells her fiancé to go fuck himself because Damon Salvatore is the only man for her."

She can't help but smile at his words; there's the Damon she knows.

"Yes? Good – great!" Elena sputters before smiling widely. She'd done what she'd set out to do; she'd done a good thing, though Stefan would beg to differ, but oh well. He couldn't see that her best friend **_needed_** Damon; she didn't need to be protected or shielded from him. She needed **_him._** He was what she'd needed all these years and he was what she needed now. She needed his love desperately because she loved him so much. And perhaps, now, finally he would be able to give her what she needed again, only fully and completely this time.

"Just don't expect her to jump into your arms right away." The brunette says, a serious look on her face. "You've got to be patient, considerate, but most of all patient." She instructs. "I know **_patient_** is a foreign word to you and all, but you've got to give Bonnie time; she'll come around."

"Well I've got nothing but time." Damon returns, simply relieved and elated that he does not have to give up on Bonnie, doesn't have to lie dormant and watch as she makes a new life with another man. He's going to fight for her, and she **_will_** be his again; Damon's never been more determined about any thing in his life.

"Good. Now," Elena starts before gesturing towards the kitchen table where Bonnie sits. "Go get her." She says, smiling softly.

Damon nods, smiling thankfully before emerging from his seat.

"Thanks" he says before leaving.

"No problem, just go get your woman." She jokes and Damon nods, smiling all the while. There was the Elena he knew and had grown to love.

Damon takes a deep breath before entering the kitchen. He notices that there is an empty plate in front of Bonnie with left over traces of syrup on it. She'd eaten his pancakes. The realization makes Damon's smile widen into a grin.

"How were your pancakes?" He asks, coming to stand beside Bonnie's seat, grin still in place.

"They were good." She sighs, sending him a smile of her own. "Thanks. Now, we should really be having that talk…"

_Well she sure doesn't waste any time!_ Too bad Damon still doesn't want to have her little disappointing talk.

"Let me put your plate up!" he says quickly, making a grab for Bonnie's plate.

"Damon, stop putting it off." Bonnie says putting a firm hand on her plate. At the same moment a shock goes through Bonnie's hand and up her arm as she finds herself being thrown into a vision.

Loud voices and screams invade the witch's senses as she watches as the front door of the manor explodes open. The plate she was holding mere seconds ago shatters along with several more dishes and furniture. Then, Bonnie watches in shock and horror as three figures barge into the Manor. The biggest of them all, a huge hooded figure mutters some words, Bonnie recognizes it right away to be a spell. She grabs onto Gabriel, holding on for dear life but watches in terror as he disappears from her grasp and lands in the arms of what she is sure is the Gin Sorcerer.

"Gabriel!" Bonnie shouts out in utter agony and fear. She watches as Jackson, Stefan, and Elena move attack the Gin Sorcerer but he puts his free hand up and holds it there and they seem to be paralyzed. They struggle helplessly as Bonnie moves to run, without even thinking. She moves to make her way to her son, briefly noticing, out of the corner of her eye, that Damon is fighting a tall man, trying to do the same. She is just about to reach her son, she is mere steps away from him when she feels someone jump onto her and, **"Ahhhh!!!"** Bonnie screams out in pain as she feels sharp fangs pierce her neck. She moves with determination, struggling to break free, but simultaneously feeling herself grow weak. She glances up and meets the evil smile of the female vampire that is draining her.

"Bonnie!" she hears Damon and Jackson yell simultaneously.

"Let her go!" she hears her best friend rasp, and catches the look of utter horror on Stefan's face.

"Mommy!" Gabriel echoes, and Bonnie feels herself begin to lose consciousness, as she looks around at her loved ones, but she can't. Not yet. She has to look at the time.

Right before every thing goes black, Bonnie manages to spot the digital clock over the stove; 11:38 it reads.

Bonnie sucks in a deep breath as she returns back to present time and she looks around frantically.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!!!" she says over and over again, panic and shock over taking her.

"What did you see?" she hadn't even noticed Damon but there he is, bent down in front of her, a concerned/intense look on his face. Bonnie can barely form a sentence, so she merely shouts.

"Their coming!"

"How much time do we have?" Damon asks, knowing right away what her words mean. He looks around, forcing himself not to panic.

Bonnie looks up at the digital clock, just in time to see the 34, in 11:34, turn into a 35.

She gasps, at the realization of the situation, fear and panic over taking her.

"Three minutes exactly." She manages to answer, before taking a deep breath, trying to get ahold of herself.

"We've got to get out of here!" he announces before swiftly standing up.

"How did they know we were here?" he hears Bonnie ask herself; she continues to repeat this question but Damon ignores it.

"Stef!! Guys come here now!" he yells loudly, repeating this until everyone is in the kitchen. Lucikly it doesn't take too long, they have virtually **_no_** time.

"They know where we are." He says quickly. "We've got exactly 3 minutes to get out of here, let's move!!" he orders.

"No! I've got to stay!" Bonnie suddenly speaks, finally awoken from her moment of temporary stupor. "I know how they found us! I forgot to put a trace spell on all of my spells from earlier! I can make it so that they can't trace us this time!" she says quickly, face determined.

"No Bonnie. It's too dangerous." Damon says firmly, fixing her with a stern gaze.

"I have to." She says, and by the look on her face, Damon knows it's not negotiable.

The vampire growls out in frustration, running his fingers through his hair, before turning to the others.

"Jackson, Stefan, take Gabriel and Elena to the state border." He instructs.

"I'm staying too. I can help." Stefan interrupts, sending Elena a meaningful look. She nods in return. Damon huffs before returning to his earlier instructions.

"**_Jackson_**, take Gabriel and Elena to the state border and call this number." He says, quickly grabbing a paper towel and scribbling a number on it. "Tell him you're a friend of Damon's and you need a safe spot." He orders. "He'll tell you where to go, we'll catch up." He finishes and Jackson nods, face serious and business like.

"You keep them safe." Stefan says sternly, looking over at Elena and Gabriel.

"I will." Jackson nods.

"Go. Now!" Damon commands and the Latino grabs hold of both his passengers and speeds off.

Damon quickly sprints upstairs and grabs the box he'd sought out earlier. He thrusts it into one of the backpacks in his room and returns downstairs to where Bonnie is.

He looks over at the clock and notices in horror that it is now 11:37, and Lord knew how long it had been 11:37!

"Bonnie you've got to hurry up; we don't have any more time." Damon speaks with urgency, voice shaking slightly as he unyieldingly looks at the clock.

"I'm almost done." Bonnie says, grabbing a baseball and thrusting it into her purse.

Stefan enters the room, a backpack over his shoulder and a digital watch on his arm.

"We've got 15 seconds." He announces, face pale.

"Almost done." Bonnie assures, and Damon looks over at Stefan.

"We're going." He announces.

"Finished – **Ahh!**"

**Sorry. I know, HORRIBLE place to leave it off, but you know how much I love cliffys (almost as much as Kevin Williamson) but any ways this has had to be my hardest chapter thus far, for SO many reasons. It was so hard for me to write but hopefully the future ones will be easier! I apologize for any errors, the closer I got to finishing, the more I just wanted to get it done and post it (without rushing of course) so I didn't proofread every thing! **

**And now, This is the longest author's note I've ever written, but I really encourage you to read it in hopes that you will be blessed. Thanks for reading the chapter, please review, and please read this! You guys rock!! As if I had to tell you again?! You rock! (Review before you read this, if you have to; it's pretty long, but PLEASE read it!!) Thanks for reading! **

**My Pastor preached a sermon on the power of the tongue and it touched me so much that I just had to share it with you guys! Hope it inspires you!**

"**_Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."_(Proverbs 18:21)**

**This is in the Bible and it is oh so true; it must be if it's in the holy word. It is such valuable information that I simply HAD to share it with you! If only half of mankind realized this, life would sure be a heck of a lot better for them! The power of life and death is in our tongue, as in what we speak!! We've seen it countless amounts of time in life! For instance, during an election the future mayor, future President, governor or whatnot does not rely on his good looks and riches to get him elected, he relies on his words. He must have the perfect speech that says the perfect stuff for this will decide his fate, words. When a bank is being robbed and there is a hostage situation, the police don't point their guns or wave a bag of money, they speak. They either say, "Let the hostage go or we're going to shoot," or they try to negotiate a deal. Either way speaking takes place; and if the right words are spoken the hostage will be set free. Simon Cowell on American Idol is famous because of his WORDS not because of his experience and know-how. His words are what have made him as famous as he is today. **

**These are only a few examples but I hope you get my drift. We have all the power we need in our tongue. So we may not have gotten that job yet, so we may not have paid that bill yet, so we may not have spoken to that friend in nearly a year; we need to start speaking it into existence. Stop droning on and on about the problem and start talking about the solution, how God's gonna work it out; start claiming it and watch it happen!! Some amazing things are going to happen this year that are literally going to blow you guys away! I can't wait for it! Just make sure you let me know when you get your break through!! **

**Trust and believe in the Lord. He can do anything. Pray non-stop about what it is you want and need, obey the word, and you are sure to get what you want. "_Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." _(Psalms 37:4) See! You can have what YOU desire!! I used to think that I would always have to do what God wanted and forgo what my heart longed for but that is untrue! As long as we delight in the Lord: go to church on Sundays, have joy in going (not look at it as a chore or duty), and keep it holy (it's one day we can sacrifice our rock and rap for one day!) God will give us what our heart truly desires. I don't know about you but I'm more than willing to sacrifice a day to get what I want!! He's done so much for us that it is truly the LEAST we could do! **

**So really let my words sink in please. I know I'm going to be blessed in a huge way this year and I want you all to be blessed as well. Remember to watch what you say! Be slow to anger, quick to listen! Listen before you talk, count to ten before you cuss or get angry (Lord knows I have to watch my anger at times!!). Choose your words wisely; they really do make a difference. Remember _"We are more than conquerors through him that loved us."_ (Romans 8:37) Stay blessed and watch those tongues!! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note: You guys are absolutely awesome!! I am so glad that you enjoyed the last chapter and that you are enjoying this story!! You have absolutely NO idea how happy it makes me, words cannot express!! I updated early because you guys deserve it! (And I didn't wanna leave you out on that cliff!!) I hope you like it!! When you're done reading, (and hopefully reviewing) please check out "It's not a dream, it's a nightmare" by Anneryn7! It is an amazing Bamon! Amazing!! Read it, and I can almost guarantee you will NOT be sorry!! Please check it out, and leave her some reviews. She is an AMAZING author and definitely deserves some of you guy's wonderful love! I have the BEST reviewers so I know that you guys won't let me down!! Thanks again for reading and reviewing! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 5**

"_Go. Now!" Damon commands and the Latino grabs hold of both his passengers and speeds off._

_Damon quickly sprints upstairs and grabs the box he'd sought out earlier. He thrusts it into one of the backpacks in his room and returns downstairs to where Bonnie is._

_He looks over at the clock and notices in horror that it is now 11:37, and Lord knew how long it had **been** 11:37!_

"_Bonnie you've got to hurry up; we don't have any more time." Damon speaks with urgency; voice shaking slightly as he unyieldingly looks at the clock._

"_I'm almost done." Bonnie says, grabbing a baseball and thrusting it into her purse._

_Stefan enters the room, a backpack over his shoulder and a digital watch on his arm._

"_We've got 15 seconds." He announces, face pale._

"_Almost done." Bonnie assures, and Damon looks over at Stefan._

"_We're going." He announces._

"_Finished – **Ahh!**"_

Bonnie lets out a loud scream, which is instantly swallowed, as her feet leave the ground below her. She registers a loud exploding sound at the same time, but doesn't allow her panicked mind to think on what it means.

She's moving, fast, extremely fast. She hears the wind whistle in her ears and sees her blurry surroundings as they soar pass. She's moving so swiftly that she almost believes she is flying, and only brushes off the thought because it is illogical.

After a few seconds however, Bonnie registers that a strong arm is wrapped tightly just below her chest, and another around her legs.

Damon is holding her, bridal style, cradling her tightly to his chest. He's the one who is carrying her, taking her to safety. She doesn't exactly see him, can't really make out **_any thing_** because of the speed they are moving at, but she knows it is him. Maybe because of his touch, maybe because of a deep rooted connection she has yet to fully rid herself of; she doesn't know. All she knows is that she knows that it is him.

She takes comfort in this, takes comfort in knowing that they are away from the manor, away from danger. They are safe, with not even a nano-second to spare.

Bonnie had never been so afraid in her life. She is still literally **_shaking_** at the intensity of it all, at the intensity of her vision, which had been way too real. She cannot shake the sight of the Gin Sorcerer; cannot shake the memory of him holding her son in his arms. It is mere torture to remember the helpless/powerless feelings she'd felt through it all, as if there was **_nothing_** she could do to keep her son safe.

Feelings of fear plague the witch's mind as her vision plays endlessly, as if on some kind of loop she cannot escape; and soon a complete 15 minutes has passes. 15 minutes with Bonnie's hand glued to her neck to insure that she had not been bitten, 15 minutes of Bonnie re-living the capture of her son, and 15 minutes of the witch practically driving herself insane with thoughts of what would've taken place had they not left the manor when they had.

What would've happened if she had not had her vision? Would she be dead, would her son be dead? Bonnie drives herself crazy as she contemplates this. Fear courses through her veins, making her body shake. Their escape had really been way too narrow and close for comfort, and their enemy seemed way to powerful. Bonnie was terrified. She didn't know how they were supposed to fight, how they were supposed to defend themselves, especially against the Gin Sorcerer.

Just as Bonnie feels as if her whole body is being taken over by fear, just as she begins to lose her breath because of the impact of her fear, an immense anger overcomes her, an anger that is not her own.

It happens so suddenly, washes over her like a wave, completely overshadowing all of her fears. It surprises Bonnie for a second. Feeling each other's emotions, when they were strong enough that is, was something she and Damon had been able to do **_before._** Before, when they were in love, when they trusted each other, when they were connected…Why was she still able to feel his?

She doesn't know, but for the moment she doesn't focus on figuring it out. She focuses instead on the anger she is feeling, the anger that is practically radiating off of Damon's body and onto hers. She knows he must be tired from running for so long, must be thirsty, and his hands are surely numb from holding her for so long, but why the heck would that make him so angry?? Why was he so angry?!

Bonnie's heart skips a beat as the anger within her increases; it is literally **_unnerving_** to feel. What in the world has the vampire so furious? Bonnie wracks her brain for an answer, but still can't figure it out, but suddenly she has the most overwhelming desire - no **_need_** - to comfort him. He's angry, furious, and she wants to comfort him, calm him, make every thing alright. But the task is easier said than done, considering her current immobile position and the speed they are moving at.

The beautiful witch moves however, instincts kicking in as she uses a great deal of strength to bring her hands, which were resting at her sides, up to Damon's chest. It's quite difficult, if you can imagine, trying to move while moving at such a fast rate; it's like the Graviton ride at the fair. It's really hard to do, but finally she does it.

She grasps a handful of Damon's white shirt and balls it tightly in her hands, simultaneously burying her face in his chest. It feels good; he feels warm, and hopefully he knows that she is here; she's thankful to him for saving her, and she's here. He's not alone in protecting their son. It's not much, and she'd rather be able to comfort him verbally, but hopefully he'll be calmed by it.

Bonnie however, feels an even more intense wave of anger course through the vampire in response to her actions. But he **_does_** tighten his grip on her, squeezing slightly, so at least she knows he is not angry with her…

He's holding her so close and she feels so warm, safe. She likes it. She still feels the impact of anger that is running through him but, at the moment, Damon's anger is bringing back the memories of all kinds of other feelings. Bonnie remembers how she'd felt the sudden rush of jealousy and possessiveness, the previous night when Damon had stormed out of the house. Her heart skips a beat at the memory of how strong the emotions had been.

She wonders, once more, how she can still feel his emotions; he can't feel hers; she's sure of it. Otherwise he would've seen straight through her telling him off, in front of her house, he would've seen straight through her tough girl façade, but he hadn't.

Confusion plagues the witch's mind as she contemplates why she and Damon seem to still seem to carry some kind of connection and why it seems to be one-sided. She also contemplates the reasons for Damon's anger. Before she knows it, another 15 minutes has passed.

Suddenly Bonnie's entire body fills with anger, an anger so intense she thinks she'll explode from the impact of it. Fury fills every pore of her body, every fiber of her being; and it is at this moment that they suddenly come to an abrupt stop.

She feels herself being placed onto the ground with gentle, shaking hands and then watches as Damon storms off, rounding the corner of the gas station they have stopped at.

As much as Bonnie wants to take in her surroundings, see where they have stopped, where they'd been running to; she doesn't. She follows right after Damon, concern filling her heart; she knows he is angry, heck she'd been experiencing his anger for the past 15 minutes. She needed to find him, calm him down. Angry Damon was not a rational Damon, and Lord knew that now was not the time for crazy actions.

"Damn it!" Bonnie hears Damon swear loudly, and rounds the corner just in time to see him punch a big gaping hole into the side wall of the gas station.

"Damon!" Bonnie exclaims at the sight, ogling the hole, which is just shallow enough to have not broken into the inside of the store, **_just._**

She returns her attention to the vampire to see that his eyes are bloodshot red and veins are decorating his normally clear face. He's in vampire form. The sight only causes her to panic more. He's even more pissed than she'd originally thought. But what scares her most is that he doesn't even look like himself, his eyes are clouded over with anger, fury; he almost looks possessed as he glares at the wall before him.

Suddenly, almost without warning, Damon lets out a low growl before turning swiftly to the vacant car behind him and lifting it off of the ground, hands fixed on the front of it as he holds it up, as if about to tip it.

"**_Damon!_**" Bonnie shouts, in horror at the sight before her. "Stop! Damon stop! Calm down!" she cries.

This time, Damon pauses at the sound of his name. He looks over at her and she comes face to face with the anger that is seemingly clouding his thoughts, clouding him.

"Damon, stop." Bonnie says softly, hazel eyes pleading with the monster before her.

Damon doesn't move, he doesn't tip the car over, doesn't set it back down, he just stares, stares at Bonnie, and she doesn't look away. Although she is terrified, frightened of this monster that has taken the place of the Damon she knows; she's not going to back down.

Suddenly Bonnie notices Damon's eyes soften under her gaze, and she lets out a breath she wasn't even aware she was holding, and finally she's able to breathe regularly when Damon sets the car back down on the ground.

He just stands there for a moment, eyes still red and veins still present. He stands there, hands hanging by his sides, shoulders slumped, looking completely and utterly defeated. His red eyes are shining with something, tears possibly? And he just looks so lost that Bonnie can't take it."

"Oh Damon." She says softly before making her way over to the vampire and wrapping her arms around his neck tightly. Yes, she is scared, and yes she's never seen Damon so out of control, but she knows that he is still Damon. He won't hurt her, and he needs her.

He doesn't move at first, simply stands lifelessly, allowing her to hug him, hold him, but after a few seconds she feels him melt into her embrace, feels strong arms wrap tightly around her waist, and hold onto her as if life depended on it.

"Ssh. It's okay." Bonnie whispers, running her fingers through the hair at the nape of Damon's neck. "It's okay."

"Those **_bastards_** are after Gabriel." Damon angrily bites out, moving away from Bonnie's embrace and staring into her eyes with intense blue ones.

This is the Damon she knows, this is her Damon.

"They broke into the manor." He says, body shaking with fury. "They could've hurt him, they could've **_killed_** him; they could've hurt you." He says, nostrils flared and eyes dark as he shakes his head slowly, anger evident with every movement he makes.

So this is what he was so angry about. He was angry because the Sorcerer had broken into their house with the intention of hurting them. He was angry because she and Gabriel were in danger. The realization warms Bonnie's heart and she hugs Damon once more, moving into his arms and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Shit, fuck." Damon mutters, still very much angry, and she hears him hit the wall beside him once more.

"Ssh." She coos quietly. "We're fine. He's fine; I'm fine." She says softly

Damon sighs in response before looking off to the right.

"What kind of sick lunatic goes after a kid?" he asks, gently stepping out of Bonnie's embrace and running a frustrated hand through his hair.

"Hey. Stop." Bonnie says gently yet firmly and Damon looks blankly at her in return. "Stop worrying." She tells him. "We'll get him. We'll make him pay."

"I don't want you anywhere near this guy, Bonnie." Damon says firmly, shaking his head as he speaks. He can't let any thing happen to her. This Sorcerer is way too powerful and Damon won't be able to fight him correctly if she's there. He'll be too worried about her. He's not going to let any thing happen to her.

"No. No Damon" Bonnie echoes, face and voice filled with determination. "Gabriel is my son too and I'm going to help protect him." She says sternly. "If there's a fight going down, I'm going to be right in the middle of the action."

The face she is giving him leaves no room for argument. He knows a lost battle when he sees one. As much as he would like to argue until Bonnie is too tired to argue any longer, he knows that they do not have time for that. And Bonnie's mind is clearly made.

"Okay…" he relents after a few seconds of silence.

"Okay?" Bonnie questions unsure, having **_known_** that Damon would argue with her for at least an hour on the subject.

"Okay" Damon repeats, smiling slightly at the surprise in Bonnie's face and voice.

"What are we Okaying about?"

"Jesus Stef," Bonnie gasps, clutching her chest as she glares at the youngest Salvatore brother. "You can't just pop up out of nowhere like that." She breathes.

Stefan smirks in response.

"Sorry" he smiles. "But it was the perfect opportunity and I hardly ever get to get you at home…"

Bonnie's mouth opens indignantly and she stares at her friend in shock. He'd scared her on purpose.

"You jerk." She says, but is not very intimidating with the small smile that is on her face. "Where the heck were you anyways?"

"Hunting, feeding." Damon answers. "We briefly discussed it before we left the manor. We discussed where we would meet and that Stefan would feed and then join us." He explains.

"Oh" Bonnie nods in understanding, feeling as if she's missed out on some huge ordeal whilst performing her trace spells.

"You should get some blood too Damon." Stefan speaks, turning his attention to his brother. "I don't know where we're going, but it's probably going to be a long run."

"Or ride." Bonnie interjects softly.

Both brother's look up curiously to see that the witch is grinning widely, a look of pride on her face. They both stare at her in confusion.

"Come again." Damon questions.

Bonnie glances down, but apparently doesn't see what her eyes had sought out because panic soon overtakes her beautiful features.

"Where's my purse?" she asks, fear on her face as she stares at her vampire companions.

Damon's mouth forms an "O" shape as realization sets in and Stefan removes the backpack from his back.

"I've got it." he informs, unzipping it and pulling out Bonnie's purse/coach bag.

Bonnie sighs in relief, before reaching into bag and retrieving a baseball. She places the small object into Damon's hands, smiling all the while.

Damon eyes the ball silently, a look of confusion evident on his face.

"Thanks?" he says slowly.

"It's your car." Bonnie announces, smile growing into a grin. "I transfigured it last night when you finally came inside, figured we'd better be safer than sorry if we needed to make a quick getaway."

The two brothers gape at the beautiful witch for a moment, shock written all over their faces.

Bonnie giggles at their reactions and Stefan shakes his head slowly before turning his attention to Damon.

"You should've never let this one get a way." He tells his brother, and inadvertently ruins the happy moment.

Bonnie's smile disappears at the words and Damon looks down at the ground in shame. Yeah. He should've never let Bonnie get away…

"That was great thinking." The eldest Salvatore finally says quietly, after a few silent seconds, eyes still trained on the ground. "…I'll be right back. Gonna do some animal hunting, should only take a sec." he softly finishes, tossing the baseball and backpack, he's been wearing, to Stefan and making a run for it.

It doesn't take him long to find woods; where they are is practically **_made_** out of woods. The gas station they stopped at was basically empty except for the owner and this old guy whom was buying cigarettes inside. Why a guy, who looked like he was struggling for his next breath, wanted to smoke, Damon would never know.

Damon finds a coyote, kills it, and sucks it dry, all the time thinking how Mystic Falls would be the dream location for a horror movie. Perhaps he'd look into that after this whole Sorcerer business was over…pitch some ideas, make some money…

Damon chuckles to himself at the thought before wiping his mouth clean and making his way back to the gas station, already feeling better with a new bout of blood in his system. Yes it wasn't human blood, but it would sustain.

He notices that Bonnie and Stefan have moved to the front of the gas station, as he makes his way over to them, whistling softly. He feels so replenished. His oddly happy mood however, slips away as he notices the extremely nervous look on Bonnie's face.

Her eyes are closed, right hand pressed to her forehead, left hand holding her cell with a death grip, and her whole body looks tense.

"What's wrong?" Damon asks, coming to stand in front of the beautiful witch.

Bonnie's eyes open immediately at the sound of his voice and she looks up at him with nervous doe-like eyes.

"Jackson's not picking up." She informs.

"Yeah, neither is Elena." Stefan echoes, a serious, yet nervous look on his features.

Damon mauls over their words for a second. Neither Jackson nor Elena was answering their phones. This was strange indeed, and they all had every right to be worried, heck he was worried! But as he looks at Bonnie, whom is clearly freaking out, and as he looks at Stefan, whom is clearly struggling to keep his composure, Damon knows that he has to lie, induce comfort. He has to stay calm, for the sake of the situation.

"I'm sure there's a perfectly good reason for that." He finally speaks, face and voice displaying utter sureness that he does not feel.

Stefan and Bonnie only eye him quizzically but finally Stefan sighs in contempt.

"Yeah." He says softly, looking at Bonnie. "Damon's right. Don't stress on it." he tells her, rubbing her shoulder comfortingly before turning his attention to Damon. "I'm gonna go get some food for the road." He announces.

Damon nods, eyes still trained on the painfully silent Bonnie.

He watches her silently before looking up suddenly and shouting, just before Stefan enters the store.

"Hey! Grab me some Cheddar Munchies and Chocolate Swiss Rolls with the frosting in the middle!"

Stefan turns around with a knowing smile on his face.

"I know Damon," he drawls. "Your favorite"

"And don't you forget it…" Damon says before glancing sideways at Bonnie. "And grab some Original flavored Chex Mix for Bonnie!" he shouts at Stefan before turning his attention to Bonnie. "That alright?" he softly asks her.

There is a slightly surprised look on her face, Damon guesses from discovering that he still remembers her favorite snack. He's kind of surprised himself, by the fact that she's surprised; she should know that he knows her better than anyone does.

Bonnie finally nods in reply before a shiver ripples through her body. Damon tears his eyes away from the convenient story Stefan's just entered, and notices for the first time that Bonnie is not wearing a jacket.

They are experiencing extremely cold October Weather, and all Bonnie is wearing are some blue jeans and a navy blue shirt that barely reaches her elbows.

"Good God Bonnie, where's your jacket?" Damon demands, looking over the shivering woman.

Bonnie in return, looks over to the side and bites her lower lip.

"At the manor." She replies, a sheepish look on her face.

"At the manor?!" Damon exclaims incredulously. "Why the heck would you leave your jacket at the manor, Bonnie, it's freakin 30 degrees outside?!" he sputters.

"I didn't do it on purpose!" Bonnie defends, and Damon can tell she is a little frustrated with him. "I was a little preoccupied at the time, **_Damon._**" She enunciates his name, glaring in turn, and honestly it warms his heart. This little banter reminds Damon of how he and Bonnie used to be, constantly butting heads, constantly arguing; she was just so stubborn and feisty. But at the same time, they were passionate, sexy, and everyone knew how much they loved each other.

Damon sighs at the memory before removing his jacket.

"What are you doing?" Bonnie asks suspiciously.

"Here" Damon says, handing his jacket over to her.

"I'm not wearing your jacket, Damon." Bonnie informs, mouth stern and arms folded over her chest.

See? Stubborn and feisty.

"Put it on Bonnie; I'm not going to let you freeze to death." Damon returns, rolling his eyes slightly in annoyance.

Did I mention that he was pretty stubborn as well…must've forgotten. Oh well, you're supposed to know this!!

"I've sworn off leather, Damon; I'm not wearing your jacket."

"Put it on Bonnie."

"No"

Damon growls out in frustration before fixing Bonnie with a meaningful stare. She's being ridiculous and she knows it. She's cold, he's offering a jacket, she should take it. He's not going to accept "no" as an answer; she should also know this.

"Fine," Bonnie finally sighs heavily, realizing she's fighting a losing battle. "But I don't like it." she says, accepting the jacket and putting it on.

"Everything okay out here?" Stefan asks, eyebrow arched at the animosity-filled exchange he's just caught.

"Peachy." Damon smiles sarcastically, fixing Bonnie with a stern look as he motions for her to zip the jacket up. She rolls her eyes, but does as she's told. "I'm gonna go call J.P. and see if he knows what's up with the others." Damon informs his brother and Bonnie. "Find some place to turn the car." He throws over his shoulder, tossing his car keys as well, as he makes his way from the front to the side of the gas station.

Damon rubs his hands together, already feeling the coolness of the air, but oh well. He's a vampire, he can take it. He retrieves his phone out of his pocket and dials JP's number, sometimes it takes too long to go under contacts and whatnot…

"Damon!" the vampire hears JP exclaim after a couple of rings. "Good to hear from you; your friend called a while back –

"Oh thank God. They're safe." Damon sighs in relief, running a hand through his hair, calming significantly as the well hidden fear and nervousness leaves him.

"Yeah; I took care of them. They're on their way to the safe spot." JP informs.

"Good. Bonnie was a little worried; she tried to call a minute ago and no one picked up?"

No, he's not trying to act all tough guy. And no, he's not acting as if Bonnie was the only one who was freaked. He's not manipulating JP into thinking that his reason for fearful relief, a moment ago, was only Bonnie; that he'd only needed to calm her worries. Okay maybe a little…

"Bonnie?"

"My ex-girlfriend." Damon reiterates.

"Oh right; well I told the others not to accept any calls from you." The other vampire informs, and Damon's face is the epitome of confusion as he wonders, _why in the world would you do that?!_ But his question is soon answered. "Now that the Sorcerer has broken into the manor, he'll be able to establish certain ties and connections with you, just by being around your possessions." He explains. "He can get a read off of you and use electronics as a means to track you if you contact a loved one he has knowledge of."

Fuck.

"You've got to be kidding me." Damon groans. Who the heck is this guy?!

"I wish." JP says, voice serious. "The man is **_powerful._** He's like some futuristic, techy, magical warlock. It's scary shit man."

"Who are you telling." Damon says, feeling a slight fear surge through his body, at this newfound information. "…so this means we can't contact any of them?" he reiterates.

"Yeah. Nor each other!" JP says. "You cannot answer the call of anyone who was in that house."

"Damn it." Damon swears before clenching his hands into fist. "Alright." He finally says, un-balling his fists and running a hand through his hair. "This is going to kill Bonnie." He says, shaking his head in dread of having to tell the witch the bad news.

"Um speaking of ex-girlfriends…" JP starts, before laughing uncharacteristically nervous. Damon arches an eyebrow in interest. "This is completely off topic and totally random and not planned at all, totally just **_popped_** in my mind," the vampire rattles off. "But does "you know who" know about your wife and kid?!" he finally asks.

Damon sighs heavily, knowing right away whom is friend is referring to.

"**_A)" _**the vampire starts. "That completely did not just **_pop_** into your mind." He says. "**_B)_** Bonnie's not my wife, sadly, and **_C)_** No; **_you know who_** does not know about **_them_** or **_any_** of this, and I'd like to keep it that way." He says, voice stern.

"Whoa" Damon hears JP speak, shock evident in his voice. "How in the world did you manage to keep this all a secret from…you know who?" he asks.

"Well I left a note for "you know who" saying that I was taking a road trip with the guys…"

"And "you know who" is probably scarlet red pissed at you for leaving a note and leaving so abruptly; in case you didn't know!" JP exclaims, worry in his voice.

"That's why it's imperative that **_you know who_** does not find out about any of this." Damon says through clenched teeth, hoping his friend gets the picture. "I'll deal with "you know who" when all of this is over, got it?"

"Yeah; I got it loud and clear except…"

"Except what?" Damon doesn't like the hesitant sound of his friend's voice.

"Well let's just say, you're going to **_love_** the location of your safe house."

What?

"What the hell does that mean J.P.?" Damon asks loudly, worry and anger coursing through his body.

"It's in Italy." His friend finally informs.

No.

"No. No way." Damon immediately objects. "That's too close to –

"I know D," JP sighs. "But it's the safest location I have right now; what do you want me to do?"

Damon runs a hand over his face, growling out in frustration. What can he do? It's the safest location, and his family **_has_** to be safe.

"Fine; we'll take it." he finally groans out, looking up into the heavens, wondering why God hates him so much.

"Good." JP sighs in relief. "Call me when you're in Italy and I'll pick you guys up. I'll be in contact."

"Yeah, thanks." Damon sighs.

"Good luck traveling, and with…"

"Yeah I don't think luck's going to help me with that;" Damon says. "This seems like a classic FML moment. Sometimes it sucks being me."

"Who you tellin'; I wouldn't trade places with you for a million dollars right now."

"Thanks P. You're really easing the panic." Damon rattles off sarcastically.

"No Problem."

"Hangin up now…"

"Sure sure." JP sighs and Damon closes his phone and makes his way back to the front of the gas station.

He'll deal with any problems, which might occur in Italy, once they reach Italy. Right now he just needed to focus on getting them there, safely. And who knew, maybe he was worried over nothing, and the person he was dreading would not find out about where he was staying, would not find out about any of this.

Damon almost wants to laugh at the hopeless thought. He's always had a knack for ending up in the worst situations; why would that stop now? All he can do now is prepare for the FML moment. Until then…

"All gassed up and ready to go." Stefan announces upon seeing his brother, a smile on his face.

Damon eyes his shiny black mustang and nods in approval.

"Good. I'm driving." He informs.

"Of course" Stefan replies, tone sarcastic.

Damon looks around for Bonnie and notices that the witch is already settled in the backseat, on the passenger's side, grocery bags on the seat beside her. Great. Now he has to share the front of the car with his brooding brother...

Damon sighs in disappointment before accepting the keys his brother is offering him and getting into the driver's side of the car.

Once they are all inside, Damon gets comfortable before putting on his shades and revving the engine of his car.

"Buckle up for safety." He smiles into the rearview mirror, eyes fixed on Bonnie.

The witch eyes him nervously before following suit. What the heck has she gotten herself into? She says a silent prayer that they will all make it to their destination alive, with all body parts in tact. Driving with Damon, the speed demon, definitely called for prayer, and lots of it.

Damon and Stefan buckle their seatbelts as well.

"Where are we going anyways?" Stefan questions.

"Italy"

**********************************VACATION*******************************

Normally it would take a person a good 5 days to get to Italy, when traveling by car/boat, but that was for anyone other than Damon Salivitore.

Damon uses his acute vampire senses in order to navigate through traffic. With his advanced hearing and magnified senses, he can navigate traffic that is miles ahead of him.

Damon drives fast, like "Ghost Rider" fast. Bonnie is almost sure that a cloud of dust is being left behind the car, maybe even the ground is on fire. Her surroundings are mere blurs and she is sure that they are completely unseen and undetectable to human eyes.

Damon's car, which already went pretty fast considering it was a mustang, is basically built like a race car, equipped with nos and every thing. He'd "persuaded" some street racers to hook it up for him.

At this rate, they'd reach Italy in 24 hours.

Bonnie is painstakingly quiet in the back seat. She can't seem to get her mind away from the fact that she is wearing Damon's jacket. Memories are crashing through her brain, moving nearly as fast as the car is, memories of them together, memories of when she used to wear his jacket all the time, prance around the college campus, like some High School girl wearing her boyfriend's jacket, memories of movie dates and him wrapping the jacket around her shoulders to protect her from the cold of the theatre, memories of ski vacations with Stefan and Elena and the jacket constantly on her, keeping her warm.

It smells like him…makes her feel as if she's being swallowed by him, by his presence. And she hates the fact that she doesn't hate the prospect.

The first hour of the trip Bonnie spends, lost in her thoughts of the jacket, Damon spends lost in thought and dread of their arrival to Italy, and Stefan spends bored and nearly dieing because of the piercing silence.

Clearly the license plate game had immediately been overruled, for obvious reasons; it was kind of hard to identify something you could not see…

They hadn't wanted to discuss fight plans so soon because they were still on a high from their previous escape. They'd discuss it all within time; besides, talking seemed to only bring about more silence, only the awkward kind. But there had to be **_something_** they could do, something that could put an end to the painful silence.

Stefan waited, thinking that surely Damon would find a way to end the silence, surely he had something witty to say, or something entertaining to do. But the eldest Salvatore remained silent. Finally, about an hour and 30 minutes into the trip, Stefan seemed to finally reach his toleration peak, and turned on the radio. Why he hadn't thought of this before, he doesn't know, but finally noise breaks into the silent car.

"Tell my why! Ain't nothin' but a heartache. Tell me why! Ain't nothin' but a mistake."

The sounds of Backstreet Boys "I want it that way" fills the car, and the tension seems to seep out along with it.

"Yes! I love this song; it's been forever since I've heard it!" Stefan exclaims, smiling widely as he turns the volume up, and all Damon can think is, _what a dork. _Stefan was way too excited and needed to bring his 8 down to a 3. But, Damon has to admit, this is one of the Backstreet Boys better songs.

What?! Did you actually think Damon would be into boy bands?! Didn't think so…

To the vampire's surprise, a soft voice penetrates his hearing.

"Am I your fire, your one desire? Yes I know it's too late, but I want it that way." He looks through the rearview mirror and notices that Bonnie's lips are moving and she is in fact singing softly along with the radio.

Damon can't help but smile at the sound of her voice, Bonnie always did have a beautiful voice. It's been forever since he's heard her sing.

He fixes his eyes on the road once more before noticing that Stefan is giving him a knowing look. A smirk is on the younger Salvatore's face and his eyes are twinkling.

"What?" Damon questions indignantly.

Stefan just shakes his head in return before belting out, "I want it that way!" and moving his shoulders along with the music as it moves into the vamp.

"Hit it Bonnie!" he shouts and Bonnie smiles before singing a tad bit louder.

"Now I can see that we've fallen apart from the way that it used to be, yeah."

Stefan joins in with her.

"No matter the distance, I want you to know that deep down inside of ME!"

All Damon can think is, _damn Stefan. You just had to come in and ruin it…_

"You are my fire, the one desire." Bonnie sings.

"C'mon Damon join in!" Stefan encourages, a smirk on his face. "You know this is your part!"

Damon catches Bonnie's eye and she's smiling at him as she sings, nodding in encouragement.

Damon contemplates for a moment as he hears the music, but finally

"**Don't wanna hear you say!!**"

Bonnie's smile widens into a grin and Damon can't help but grin himself.

"Yeah!" Stefan cheers as the three of them proceed to sing – well yell actually – the rest of the song.

"**_Ain't nothing but a mis ( _Damon_ - Don't wanna hear you say.) take I never wanna hear you say! I – I want it that way." _**

"**_Tell me why. Tell me why!" _**Damon proceeds to sing the lead and Bonnie and Stefan sing behind him.

"Tell me **WHY!**" Damon belts.

He's actually not the worst singer.

"**_Ain't nothing but a mistake. Tell me why, I never wanna hear you say, I want it that way." _**They finish before falling silent.

"Cause I want it that way." Damon sings softly, ending the song.

Stefan and Bonnie cheer loudly and Damon grins as well. All of the tension is gone, at least for the moment. And the three friends decide to enjoy it.

They sing through several songs, including _All American Rejects_ – Gives you hell, _Black-eyed peas_ – I've got a feeling, and _Gwen Stefani's_ "Holla back girl," before their singing comes to an abrupt end as guitar strums announce the start of another song.

The grin immediately diminishes from Damon's face and Bonnie falls silent, eyes suddenly becoming interested in her lap, as Gavin Degraw begins to sing.

"We belong together. Like the open seas and shores. Wedded by the planet force; we've all been spoken for."

Damon's grip tightens significantly on the steering wheel before he reaches over abruptly and turns off the radio. And once again, the car is swallowed in silence.

Realization dawns on Stefan as he realizes that "We belong together" had in fact been Bonnie's and Damon's song, the song they both loved and often listened to, the song Damon used to sing to Bonnie whenever she was upset or angry with him.

The younger vampire, in turn grows silent as well, a solemn expression on his face as he recognizes the moment for what it is, a hurting moment. He knows that memories are surging through his brother and friend, knows that they are thinking back on happier times.

At this moment, realization seems to hit the youngest Salvatore and he stares at Bonnie through the rearview mirror, taking in her hurt eyes as she looks down at her lap, seemingly deep in thought. He can't believe it. Bonnie is still in love with his brother.

His eyes grow big in shock, but neither one of his companions seem to notice his change in demeanor. He truly cannot believe it. How in the world can Bonnie still love Damon, after every thing he's put her through? But here she is, sitting in the back seat, hurt basically radiating off of her small form, and it's so obvious. She still loves him. Both Bonnie and Damon are still very much in love.

Stefan sighs before running a hand over his face. Boy was his brother screwed; he was pining over a woman who was engaged to another man. And boy was Bonnie in trouble; she was in love with two men, who were going to be placed under the same roof, with her, in less than 24 hours. And holy shit; this going to be an awkward trip.

********************************LATER ON*********************************

About two hours later, Stefan is asleep. Damon is almost positive his brother has spent the last hour forcing himself asleep in order to escape the awkward silence. _Way to be brave and stick it out, Stefan; thanks for having my back…_

Sadly, Damon cannot go to sleep because he is driving…well he could but that wouldn't turn out good for anyone…and oddly enough Bonnie is not asleep either.

The silence grows more painful with each passing second and Damon fears he will pull out his hair if someone does not break into it. And let's face it; he would not be nearly as appealing if he were balled.

Damon finds his eyes seeking out his ex-girlfriend, for about the 50th time in the past hour. He wants to say something, anything, but he doesn't know what to say.

His eyes land on Bonnie, but this time instead of the blank expression on her face, a thoughtful expression is on her face.

She is gazing down at her wallet. A small smile is even present on her face and Damon knows right away that she is looking at pictures of their son. She's probably worried half to death.

"Gabe is going to be fine, Bonnie." Damon speaks, breaking into the silence; thanking God that he finally knew what to say to the witch.

Bonnie doesn't say any thing at first. She merely runs her fingers over the picture she is staring at.

"He must be so scared…" she says softly, voice barely above a whisper. If Damon were not a vampire, he would not have heard.

"He's fine Bonnie." Damon assures. "He's strong, brave."

"He's like you, in that way." Bonnie says quietly, looking up and meeting his gaze.

Damon's heart soars at her kind words and the fact that she's finally looking at him again.

"You give me too much credit, Bon;" he smiles. "You're pretty darn brave yourself." He tells her.

"Please" Bonnie scoffs, looking away from him momentarily before staring at him once more. "I was completely panicked and petrified back at the manor…if it weren't for you and Stefan…" she starts before trailing off, shaking her head in thought.

"Hey, that's one time." Damon argues, smiling comfortingly. "What about the time the four of us fought that group of vamps, or the time you and I fought that warlock?" he questions.

Bonnie looks away, at his words. She lets out a shaky breath and bites her lip. Damon sighs, berating himself. He should not have brought up the past, should not have brought up happy memories of them together, when they were at their best.

He squeezes the steering wheel angrily, knowing that he's ruined the conversation they'd been having.

After a few silent seconds however, Bonnie speaks again, changing the subject.

"You and Gabriel seem to have really hit it off." She says softly. "Best buds huh?"

Damon sighs once more, in relief, happy that Bonnie is still talking to him.

"I know. Who would've thought, me getting along with a little person?!" he rattles off in pure Damon fashion.

Bonnie falls silent again, perhaps she'd been hoping that Damon would think of their son as something higher than "a little person."

"He's a good kid." Damon reiterates, immediately regretting his casual approach to the subject of their son. He wasn't a casual subject and neither was his relationship with him.

"How old is he?" Damon presses further.

"Four," Bonnie answers, before chuckling to herself. "Or Four and a half, as he always says." She smiles at the thought of her stubborn son. "He turns five in a couple of months, January 3rd." she informs.

"Wow. But he's such a small kid." He says before guilt overtakes him as he remembers that Gabriel was a premi; and he feels like the biggest jerk alive.

"That, he gets from his mom." Bonnie replies, smiling, and relief washes over him at her non-offensive reply.

"Please Bonnie," he scoffs indignantly in return. "You reach my chin; what are you calling me short?" he jokes.

Bonnie giggles at Damon's words, and Damon's heart swells at the action. He'd put that smile on her face.

"Maybe" she says softly, smiling playfully at the vampire.

Damon sputters indignantly in response, which only causes Bonnie to giggle more.

"**_No one_** calls Damon Salvatore short." He says, face and voice filled with faux stern and intimidation.

"Except for me" Bonnie throws back, grinning widely.

Damon can barely think up a response at the sight of the beautiful smile, a smile that she's actually displaying for him.

"Well…" he finally says after a few seconds. "I'll let you get away with it, for now. But only cause it's you…"

Bonnie smiles in return, and Damon doesn't know how, but some how the tension has been removed once more.

He sighs at the realization before placing his hand on the radio dial and directing a pointed gaze at Bonnie.

"Should we go for round two?" he asks the witch.

"Are you saying you don't want to talk to me?" Bonnie throws back, arching a perfect eyebrow, and oh my gosh she's joking with him! Damon feels like he's just won some award, Nobel Peace Prize.

"Don't want to spoil our moment." He explains, grinning at Bonnie through the mirror.

"It was a pretty nice moment, huh?" Bonnie says thoughtfully.

"Any moment where we get along, don't hurt each other, or drive each other crazy, is a fantastic moment to me." Damon informs matter-of-factly.

"Well said." Bonnie chuckles slightly before nodding. "Yeah, we can give it another try. Maybe we'll catch some GaGa." She replies.

And Damon chuckles.

"Or if we're lucky, Beyonce, Katy Perry, or…Miley." He says dramatically cupping his hands over his cheeks.

"And the moment is ruined." Bonnie announces.

"Oh c'mon! I was being serious!"

"Damon?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up"

"Okay"

********************************A LOT LATER******************************

The hours dragged on after the radio incident. After about an hour of listening to songs, Bonnie had finally fallen asleep. Damon had driven for another hour but then they'd had to resort to boat transportation, in order to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

This had been the worst part of the trip for all three supernatural entities. Bonnie and Damon **_hated_** sea travel, and Damon was just plain out annoyed at the slow speed they were traveling at.

The three had resorted to sleeping the entire three hours on the ship, none of them wanting to stay up and enjoy the "sea breeze."

Finally, after the long, agonizing boat ride, Damon resumed driving while Bonnie and Stefan slept. He drove for another 8 hours before **_finally_** allowing Stefan to switch places with him. He was one of those dominant drivers. You know the kind…

Stefan had then proceeded to drive for seven hours while Damon slept, but as soon as Damon woke up, he took over the wheel again. Bonnie surprisingly remained asleep through out the entire time Stefan drove and the four hours Damon drove.

The poor witch was probably exhausted.

They'd stopped a few times of course, getting gas, letting Bonnie go to the bathroom, but their stops were few. Bonnie was eager to get to Italy, eager to get to Gabriel.

Damon had finally informed them, on the ship, of what JP told him about communicating with one another. They'd both been relieved to know that the others were safe, but Bonnie was more nervous and determined than ever to reach them.

Finally they had traveled a full 22 hours, and were 30 minutes away from their destination. Record time!

They are at the gas station, filling their empty tank for the last time.

Stefan is inside the crowded gas station, in the midest of the long line of people, waiting to pay for gas.

Damon glances at Bonnie through the rearview mirror. She's been relatively quiet since their departure from the ship. She's either been sleeping or painstakingly quiet.

Damon knows that she is worried, scared, and exhausted from travel. She's been wonderful though, hasn't complained a single time, but Damon knows she is tired.

He stares at the witch. She appears to be deep in thought; her face is expressionless, but her eyes are sad, tired. Damon knows that she is thinking about Gabriel, probably worrying herself half to death about him. She just looks so hopeless and helpless. It breaks Damon's heart.

"Hey, why don't you get out and stretch your legs." He attempts, breaking into the silence.

Bonnie looks up and fixes him with a pointed look.

"C'mon" Damon laughs slightly in response to her "seriously?" look. "It'll be good for you. It's not healthy to keep them cramped in a car, for such a long period of time; they're liable to fall off." He jokes gently, sending Bonnie a sympathetic smile.

The beautiful woman sighs in contempt, at the sight of the smile. She knows Damon is only trying to help, and her legs are actually starting to feel numb. She slowly unbuckles her seatbelt and emerges from the car.

Damon sighs in relief before doing the same.

The cold air feels good, fresh, free. Bonnie realizes that she'd been virtually suffocating in the confines of the car. It feels good to breathe again, take a break from the traumas of her life and admire the normal people around her. She closes her eyes for a moment, pretending she is one of them, pretending her life isn't one step away from being deemed horror movie material.

Damon watches her as she closes her eyes and leans against the door of the mustang, and for a moment she looks at peace.

The moment is soon ruined however, with the vibrating of Damon's phone. Bonnie looks up, opening her eyes at the sound, and the vampire groans in frustration, silently cursing the small object for ruining Bonnie's moment of peace. But as he registers the name on his caller ID, his anger turns into an excited anticipation, and he quickly thrusts open the phone.

"Hey" he breathes.

"You're family's safe and sound; they made it to the safe spot about five minutes ago." He hears JP's voice inform him and his heart does a flip and honestly Damon doesn't think the call could've come at a better time.

He looks up, catching Bonnie's alert and questioning eyes. He nods, answering her silent question, and watches as Bonnie let's out a shaky breath and cups her hands around her nose and mouth in relief, seemingly trying to calm herself.

"Great. This couldn't have come at a better time." Damon sighs into the phone, eyeing Bonnie, with question and concern, all the while.

"How far are you guys?" JP asks, and Damon notices that Bonnie's eyes are somewhat watery.

"We should be there in about 30 minutes." He answers as a lone tear trickles down the witch's right cheek.

"Okay, call when you're five minutes away." JP instructs. Several more tears slide down Bonnie's cheeks until they're cascading, endlessly it seems.

"Okay" Damon answers distractedly before closing his phone.

"Hey. You alright?" He asks Bonnie gently, quickly moving around the car to stand in front of her.

The beautiful witch nods, and a sob escapes her lips.

"I'm just so happy they're safe." She says, wiping away her tears, only to have a fresh wave of salty water escape her eyes. "Thank God" she mumbles, before looking up and smiling sadly. "I can't believe I'm being so girly and emotional, and in front of **_you_**, of all people." she says, shaking her head all the while.

"You're a mom." Damon shrugs, as if it explains it all.

Bonnie smiles slightly but it quickly disappears as she lets out another sob.

"Hey, it's okay." Damon says softly, stepping closer to Bonnie and moving his hands up to her cheeks. He gently wipes away her tears with the pads of his thumbs, looking into her eyes all the while.

Bonnie freezes, taking in their close vicinity and the feeling of his soft touch on her cheeks. She looks up and their eyes meet, baby blue meeting brown-green.

Damon's hands freeze, for a moment, on her cheeks and he just studies her face, her beautiful eyes, her cute nose, and her perfect lips.

"You're so beautiful." He says softly, gently removing another tear with his left thumb.

Bonnie shakes her head under his intense stare, ignoring the way her heart skips a beat at his words.

"You can't keep saying stuff like that." She says, looking away from him, thinking back to the other morning when she'd heard him say the same thing in her dream.

"It's true." Damon says softly, and Bonnie can't take it, can't take their close vicinity, can't take what he's saying to her.

She moves away from his touch. She needs to get away from him. She walks away from the gas pumps and over to the air pump and vacuum.

She feels Damon on her heels but she will not stop, and to make matters worst, she can't seem to find her voice at the moment to tell him to leave her alone. So she just walks until she reaches her destination. When she does, a sob escapes her lips, as more tears escape her eyes, but this time they are not happy tears.

Damon's heart breaks as he catches sight of Bonnie's tear drenched face. He knows that he is the reason for her tears. He feels awful, the last thing he'd wanted to do was make her cry.

"Sssh – I'm sorry – I didn't mean to make you cry; please don't cry." He sputters, wanting badly to move closer to her, to hold Bonnie in his arms, but he knows that she does not want to be **_close_** to him at the moment.

Damon's heart clenches at the sight of Bonnie's tears as the memory of his conversation, with Stefan, hits him like a brick. Damon thinks about all of the pain he'd caused Bonnie when he'd left, thinks about all of the nights where Bonnie had cried herself to sleep, because of him.

"Oh God Bonnie, I'm so sorry." He suddenly says, swallowing the huge lump in his throat as he stares into Bonnie's eyes passionately, apologizing for way more than the incident that has just occured. "I'm so **_incredibly_** sorry for all of the pain I caused you."

Bonnie's eyes lock onto Damons, at his last statement, and she stares intensely.

"I never meant to hurt you." he quietly tells her, shaking his head.

"Yes you did." Bonnie says quietly, speaking for the first time in several minutes, face indignant and full of hurt.

"I loved you Damon," she says softly. "with every thing in me. And you still left." She says, looking at the ground and slowly wiping away her tears, willing herself to stop crying. "You knew you were hurting me, knew you were breaking my heart, but you still did it because you're selfish, always have been." She says, looking at him with eyes full of anger and hurt. "Selfish Damon…"

"You can't truly believe that." Damon says quietly, heart clenching at her hurtful words. He knows he deserves them, but prays that Bonnie doesn't honestly believe them. He had not hurt her intentionally.

"You've proven it to me, countless numbers of times." Bonnie says in reply to his previous statement.

"I was stupid!" Damon exclaims, willing Bonnie to know that he is sincerely sorry. "I'm stupid, Bonnie! You know this!"

She doesn't reply, won't even look at him, only looks down at the ground.

"You've got to believe me, Bonnie." Damon attempts, eyes shimmering passionately. "Leaving you was – **_is_** the biggest mistake I've ever made in my life." He tells her, face serious and determined. "There isn't a day that goes by when I don't regret it, regret every thing I gave up."

"Damon please…stop…" Bonnie says softly.

She doesn't want to do this right now, doesn't want to think about the life she and Damon could've had together, doesn't want to hear his apology, doesn't want to forgive him, doesn't want to love him; and his words are making it more evident that he may in fact love her, and she's terrified of this because if he loves her, she might have to love him as well.

"I can't stop, Bonnie." Damon tells her, voice gentle yet demanding at the same time. "I can't stop pouring my heart out to you, any easier than I can stop loving you."

And there it was, the 'L' word.

"Damon…" Bonnie attempts weakly.

"I'm not stopping, Bonnie." Damon interrupts. "I love you." Bonnie feels her breath being taken away from her, at the sound of the three words. She sighs and looks away, trying to block out the rest of what the vampire is saying; but she can't. She finds herself unwillingly listening.

"I've never stopped loving you." Damon informs before continuing. "You're always on my mind, and it's even worst; now that I'm around you again, you're **_constantly_** on my mind, slowly driving me insane because I want you so badly." He says, and Bonnie feels her heart skip a beat at his words. "Hell, I'm having to use deep restraint, I never even knew I **_had_**, to keep from kissing you right now."

Bonnie's skin flushes at Damon's words. She feels his eyes on her, and can nearly see the intense way he is looking at her. It only makes her skin burn more, and she wills her eyes to stay trained on the ground as she becomes unnerved and overwhelmed by the intensity of the moment, the intensity of Damon's words.

"I miss us, Bonnie." Damon continues, ruthlessly. "I miss you more than I've ever missed any thing."

A lone tear escapes Bonnie's eyes, and she quickly wipes it way, knowing that this is all she will let out. She will not cry anymore, no matter how much he's making her want to, at the moment.

"I crave for you more than I crave for blood." Damon says, and Bonnie's eyes foolishly look into his blue ones. She inwardly curses her lack of control as she comes face to face with the intensity in his beautiful orbs.

"You were my best friend, my lover; I just want you back." Damon finishes, eyes intent and determined. Bonnie can't believe her ears, can't believe what Damon has just told her. He does love her. Damon does still love her. The realization is all to much for witch.

"I can't do this with you, Damon." She says, shaking her head vehemently. "I can't."

Bonnie all but runs back to the car, and Damon drops his head in defeat, before slowly following behind the young woman.

Stefan reaches the car just in time to see a distraught Bonnie throw herself into the car and slam the door.

Damon slowly reaches the car after her and Stefan arches an eyebrow at his brother.

"Why do I always seem to come in on something?" he asks, but Damon doesn't answer, doesn't even acknowledge that he's heard him. With an expressionless face, the vampire gets into his car and quiety closes the door.

* * *

Damon drives significantly slower this time. All of the life seems to have been sucked out of the vampire.

He's emotionally drained. He'd just poured his heart out to Bonnie, and though he hadn't been expecting her to kiss him senselessly, he hadn't expected her to…run away! He hadn't expected her to avoid the situation, avoid him, run, not after every thing he'd told her.

Oh well. Perhaps Elena was wrong…

Though Damon was nowhere near giving up on the woman he loved, her reaction to his words did have him a little depressed.

Damon's depressed state lasts the entire trip, but finally they reach their destination. It is dark and night-time in Italy, by the time they arrive, probably around 8 o'clock, but my gosh they're finally here, the 30 minute trip having lasted an hour, thanks to Damon's slow driving. And due to the gut-wrenching silence, the trip seemed even long to Stefan, whom all but **_throws_** himself out of the car, once it is parked.

Damon sighs silently before pulling out his cell phone and calling JP.

"We're here" he says, nothing more and nothing less, before hanging up.

Surprisingly Bonnie has not exited the car yet, and realizing this, Damon moves to leave, unbuckling his seatbelt, not wanting to prolong their painfull silence any more than he already had; however Bonnie's voice stops him.

"Damon," she speaks softly, and Damon stops.

He doesn't say anything, doesn't look at her; he merely slumps back down into his seat, awaiting her voice.

"Damon, we've been through a lot together." Bonnie says quietly. "I loved you; you left." She continues, and Damon listens in contempt. Bonnie feels bad; that hadn't been his intention. He had not been silent in order to induce guilt; he'd been silent because he was sad. And now Bonnie feels bad, and she is trying to comfort him. Damon doesn't want her to feel that she owes him an apology; he wants to interrupt her, tell her that it's okay, but she seems determined to say her piece; So Damon listens.

"I'm hurting, Damon," Bonnie continues. "and it's gonna be a while till I can forgive you and trust you." She sighs, and relief washes over the vampire, at her words, and now he's happy he did not interrupt her.

She'd said it would be "a while," that meant that it **_would_** happen, eventually... He could wait, Damon could wait.

"You do know that I **_am_** sorry though, right?" the vampire asks softly, finally fixing his eyes on the witch.

Bonnie sighs as her eyes meet his, happy that he is finally looking at her and speaking to her again.

She nods in reply to his previous question.

"I'm so sorry, Bonnie." He repeats, and she smiles sadly, in return, and nods her head.

"And I love you." Damon adds strongly.

"Damon –

"No." the vampire says sternly. "I really do, Bonnie…You have, and always will, have my heart; I just hope that, in time, you will be able to trust me with yours again." He tells her, and she can't believe she'd nearly forgotten how romantic he could be.

"Damon…I'm with Jackson." She feels compelled to remind him, because he seems intent on ignoring the fact. "We're engaged and –

"**_Exactly._** Engaged, not married." Damon interrupts, eyes twinkling with mischief. "There's still time for me to save you."

Bonnie smiles inwardly at the light in his eyes, it's nice to see them full of life again.

"It's not a situation where I need rescuing, Damon." Bonnie says sternly.

"That's what you think, but have you seen who you're marrying?"

"Damon, stop. I love him." She tells him, voice admonishing.

"And I love **_you_**."

The witch is silent for a few seconds, seemingly thrown off by the vampire's words.

"I'm a faithful woman, Damon." Bonnie finally speaks, reminds him. She will not cheat on Jackson, and she will not allow herself to fall for him.

"I know, to me."

Bonnie sputters indignantly at Damon's words, before calming and coming up with another response.

"You're just going to end up disappointed." She tells him.

"I don't think so." He returns knowingly.

"You are."

"Then I'll just be disappointed." He smiles and Bonnie can't help but smile back, and a nice moment of contentness occurs as the two finally emerge from the car.

They look around, taking in their surroundings.

"Brusters!" Bonnie exclaims excitedly as she eyes the lit ice-cream stand.

"Pretty good stopping place, huh?" Damon smirks proudly, and Bonnie nods in response.

"C'mon" he says moving his head to the side, motioning to the dessert establishment. "I'll treat you to some Birthday cake ice-cream, double scoop; still your favorite right?"

Bonnie eyes the man before her in shock. He really does **_know_** her.

She nods her head slowly before making her way over to his side of the car.

"C'mon Stef, we're going to get some ice-cream!" Damon shouts over to his brother, who is perched on the trunk of the car, hands cupped around his ears childishly.

"Oh! Okay." Stefan says, coming to attention and bringing his hands down to his sides. "You two done being all awkward?" he asks, eyeing the two cautiously.

Bonnie looks over at Damon and the two of them share a small smile.

"I think so." She smiles over at Stefan.

"For now" Damon echoes.

"**_Damon!!_**" someone shouts loudly, and the three friends look over to the side to see a figure heading towards them.

Their hearts practically stop however, as they realize that the person is Elena. Elena! Wait, Elena?

"You lying son of a bitch!" the brunette exclaims once she reaches them. The petite girl then slaps Damon square across the face.

Damon's eyes grow big in horror and Bonnie and Stefan watch on in confusion.

Elena glares angrily at the eldest vampire but her features soften almost simutaneoulsy as she grabs a fistful of Damon's shirt and pulls him into her.

"Come here." She purrs seductively before pulling Damon into a passionate kiss.

"**_Elena?!?!_**" both Stefan and Bonnie exclaim in utter shock as they watch the beautiful woman attack Damon's mouth.

"Who?" Elena questions, momentarily breaking away from Damon's mouth. "Oh yeah, the look alike." She says with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"Guess again." She smiles seductively, eyeing Stefan and Bonnie.

Damon glares at her, eyes practically bulging out of their sockets as he smiles the fakest, tightest smile he's ever smiled in his entire life.

"Katherine!" he bites out angrily, teeth feeling as if they might fall out from the force he is holding them together with.

Stefan's face is the epitome of shock, his eyes are wide and his mouth is hanging open, and Damon doesn't even want to look at Bonnie; he doesn't dare.

And there it was, just as Damon had predicted, the classic FML moment. _Fuck my life._

**Author's note: Alright! Gosh this was so incredibly hard!! I was trying so hard to get this out before the new episode aired!! I wanted to get it out on Tuesday but that didn't happen, but finally I finished it!! I hope to God that it didn't have too many mistakes on it! I didn't proof-read much at all because I wanted to get it out so badly!! Really need you guys' confirmation on this one! Please let me know what you thought because I am so afraid about this one! I hope there weren't too many mistakes!! I apologize for the novel length of it all; I'm just sorry!! Please review and let me know that this didn't completely suck! Thank you guys so much for reading, and if you happen to read this after the new episode airs, please don't mention any thing about the new episode in your review because sadly I will not be able to watch it until Monday! (I know TORTURE!) But any ways, thanks for reading and please review, and again check out the story I mentioned at the top!! **

**Here's a little bit of encouragement, know I wrote a book last time so this time it's shorter: **Some of you may be going through some things right now, or you may have a family member who is going through something: trying to quit smoking, trying to fit into that certain dress, trying to cope with their parent's divorce, trying to get out of an abusive relationship. Whatever the situation is, I just want you to know that you can do it. You may be in the midst of a storm right now but storms don't last always. Storms are merely tests that help you grow. Just go through your storm, pray that you past the test, and in the end you will come out a better person. Look at your glass as half full and not half empty. Remember, "All things work together for good, for them that love God." That means that all of the bad is going to work out for your good! Thanks again for reading and God bless!!


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's note:**** Hey guys! Can you believe CW is making us wait over a MONTH for more "Vampire Diaries" episodes?! They can really be cruel sometimes, so cruel!! But to help you guys and myself get through it, I'm going to start updating every Thursday at 8 o'clock! My chapters can take the place of the episode and hopefully entertain you with a weekly dose of Vampire hotness; that is if you want it to…Lord's will I'll be able to update every Thursday until the 25****th****, I hope!! (It's always been hard for me to update weekly, but hey, with God any thing's possible!! I'll just pray like CRAZY!!)…And OMG you guys are just too awesome for words!! I was blown away by the number of reviews I got for the last chapter!! SO glad I managed to catch a lot of you off guard with Katherine! Definitely want this story to be unpredictable…in a good way! Your detailed reviews were the highlight of my week, so thanks SO much for that!!...This chapter is actually going to be a flashback chapter! I got the idea and inspiration for it from **_**Necrosiss**_**, the author of "Jealousy Bites!" (Looks like it's going to be a great story check it out if you have time!) She was kind enough to give me permission to use a certain something from her story! Thanks girly!! This chapter is dedicated to you!! Hope you all enjoy it!! And without further ado…READ!! (This chapter contains bad language! I apologize for that! Hated using it but I felt it was required to stick to their characters and situations!) Enjoy!**

**  
Chapter 6**

**FLASHBACK****: (7 YEARS AGO…BONNIE, AGE 17, DAMON??)**

They don't go out. They barely even get along.

Okay so yes, she'd been becoming less _**annoying**_; he'd never admit it, not even to himself. Point is, Damon Salvatore was a free man, free to go shopping in the mall called woman, free to date and screw whomever he wanted, which was exactly why he'd done just that…

So he and the little witch had had something going on, it didn't matter. She knew who he was. He was Damon "doesn't give a shit" Salvatore. He did what he wanted and whom he wanted. He did _**not**_ get tied down, not anymore.

So of course he'd spent a total of three days missing in action to prove this point. He'd spent a weekend out of state, flirting it up, dating it up, and taking a different woman to his bed every night.

It'd been fun, a blast actually, and when he'd returned home he'd told the little witch just that, told Bonnie every thing, didn't lie or hold any thing back. And when she'd nodded slowly before turning and walking away, telling him that he was free to do what he wanted, he'd felt accomplished, proud to have gotten his point across.

And when he didn't hear from her, the entirety of the following week, he didn't care. She'd come back to him eventually. They always did. And even if she didn't, they'd had a good run; he was perfectly capable of finding another bedmate, maybe he'd even go for a threesome this time…either way Damon was fine, Bonnie stopping their little…"relationship" would have no affect on him whatsoever. It wasn't like they went out, and like I said earlier, they barely even got along.

Which is why Damon is extremely confused and frustrated by the way he reacts to hearing the news of Bonnie's _**date**_…extremely frustrated at himself for even following the witch, that day, in the first place. What the heck was he doing?! More importantly, what the heck was _**she**_ doing?!?!

The whole situation was quite infuriating. Damon didn't even want to think about how he'd felt hearing Bonnie gush excitedly, about her "big" date, to Elena. It'd struck an entirely different nerve on the vampire.

How dare she go on a date with some guy, barely even a _**week**_ after they'd…well stopped. How dare she!! And Stefan's douche bag teammate…Toby at that! The jerk had rendered Vicky Donavan a pathetic mess; Damon honestly didn't see what Bonnie was going out with _**him**_ for. But he didn't care. Honestly. She could go out with whomever she fuckin wanted to!!

So naturally Damon shows up at Adrienne's Salsa Club that night around 10:30. The fact that this is the place Toby and Bonnie's date is taking place, is merely coincidence. He'd merely wanted some drinks and some good Latin music to listen to while getting them.

That about catches you up to now! It's 11:30 and Damon is absolutely pissed. There's really no better word to describe the vampire's mood; he's pissed, frustrated, agitated, worked up, restless, pissed. It's 11:30 and Bonnie still hasn't showed up with her half wit date!!

What the hell is taking them so long?! No one plans a date this late unless……..Damon knows for a fact that the football team is going out of town tomorrow for a game. That means that both Toby and Bonnie will have to get an early start. _**They needed to hurry the fuck up and get their late ass date started!!**_

Damon agitatedly glances down at his watch. It's 11:03 and the vampire growls out at the realization. He grabs a shot from the traveling bartender's tray and downs it quickly, frowning, but not from the bitter taste.

He looks out at the dancing couples, from his spot on the back walls of the club. His eyes narrow in annoyance. Every thing about this place annoys him. The stupid disco ball, the stupid lovey dovey couples, the stupid rose adorned tables that circle the dance floor, the stupid chandeliers that light the outskirts of the otherwise dark place; every thing about the freakin classy/trashy ass dance club annoys Damon.

The vampire runs an aggravated hand through his hair and mutters a frustrated swear. And this just had to be the place where the football player was bringing Bonnie: some Salsa dance club. They were going to be dancing…up close…touching. The mere thought of this makes Damon's blood reach a temperature he didn't even know was possible for anyone to reach. What the heck is wrong with him?! He shouldn't care what Bonnie does. He _**didn't**_ care what Bonnie did. _**Where the heck was she?!**_

As if on cue, an airy giggle suddenly floats into Damon's alert ears, and he immediately feasts his eyes upon the door of the club. Sure enough, after a couple of seconds pass, Bonne enters the place with her stupid ass of a date.

Damon immediately narrows his eyes at the pair. They're all smiles, laughing, talking, and gazing at each other lovingly. It really makes Damon sick - no…pissed actually. Really pissed, especially seeing the way Toby's arm is wrapped possessively around Bonnie's waist, holding her way too close, and Damon doesn't like it. No excuses, no explanations, Damon doesn't like it.

Not to mention that Bonnie looks absolutely hot, sexy actually, beautiful. Damon _**hates**_ this. He hates the way the short silky red dress, she's wearing, hugs her body perfectly, hates how good her red lipstick looks on her, and he especially _**hates**_ her sexy up-do and how perfectly the curly strands of hair cascade and frame her face. She's turning heads; she's the sexiest woman in the building, and he absolutely hates it, hates it with a passion.

She should not be looking good!!! She should be looking horrible, distressed because she isn't with _**him**_, because he doesn't give a shit about her. She shouldn't be prancing around with some other guy looking happy, sexy, and completely at ease with the world!! What the heck is going on?!?!

Damon doesn't really have time to answer his question because before he knows it, Bonnie and her dick date have abandoned their belongings at a table and are making their way to the dance floor, which obviously earns Damon's complete attention.

Damon watches – well _**glares**_ actually as the couple reaches the floor, his eyes zeroing in on the hand placed at the small of Bonnie's back.

He lets out a breath, huffing simultaneously when Toby finally removes his hand from the witch's body. A million thoughts and feelings surge through the vampire, but the one at that is strongest is confusion. _**What is wrong with him?!**_ Why is he reacting so strongly to seeing Bonnie out with another man?! She's not _**his.**_ They _**don't**_ go out. They barely get along. He can't _**stand**_ her. But damn it he can't stand watching some other guy be with her, watching her be with another guy.

Damon closes his eyes, taking in a deep frustrated/calming breath and slowly letting it out. This girl is going to drive him insane, he knows it.

When he opens his eyes, he is met with the sight of Bonnie twisting her hips side to side in time with the music. She's moving around gracefully and smiling over at a grinning Toby as she salsa dances for him. The sight makes Damon unbelievably angry, and not only at the tall orangutan football player, but at Bonnie as well.

The fluffy end, of the form fitting dress she is wearing, twirls as she moves her hips. It's the perfect dancing dress. All eyes are glued to the flexible, dancing cheerleader, men lusting after her and woman glaring or admiring her. And all the while, her full attention is on stupid Lanky Kong. Damon hates it. Hates it, loathes it, despises, (and any other adjective that means hates) it.

Bonnie should be on _**his**_ arm. He should be the one that all of the guys are envying in their heads and calling a lucky SOB. It should be him that Bonnie is mesmerized by and giving all of her attention to. Not this…mere mortal, this football player, this…Toby.

What kind of a name is Toby any ways?! Sounds like a dog's name!

And how dare the stupid witch!! How dare her just move on to another guy! How dare her act as if they had never happened, as if they hadn't spent the last past month screwing each other's brains out!

She was only out with this douche to get a rise out of him, Damon knew it. She wanted to make him jealous. Well too bad for her because Damon Salvatore didn't get fuckin jealous! He wasn't fuckin jealous!!

If that was the way she wanted to act!! Then fine! Forget her! Fuck her! _**Fuck her! **_He'd find someone else to mess around with. He most definitely did not need Bonnie Bennett, didn't give a damn about her. She could do whatever the hell she wanted. Fuck her!

Toby reaches out and pulls Bonnie into his arms, placing his hands on her hips and moving in time with her. He looks down into her eyes and Damon can see the lust in his brown orbs, all the way from his spot across the room. Bonnie looks into his eyes mirroring the look, and Damon swears he will kill the football player.

He doesn't get jealous, not anymore, but he swears he's never felt so jealous in his entire life. Not even when he'd learned about Stefan and Katherine, and this makes absolutely no since because he'd _**loved**_ Katherine! He barely even _**likes**_ Bonnie. Yet, watching her dance, in the arms of another man, brings about feelings of possessiveness, jealousy, and rage, feelings that are so strong and passionate Damon feels he is drowning in them, barely able to stay sane and above the emotional waves that are crashing into him.

Damon searches the club rapidly and notices a bartender heading his way. He swiftly snatches the tray, of fresh shots, out of the man's hands, places it onto the vacant table beside him, and downs one of the small glasses, wiping his mouth hastily, facial expression intense as he glares out at the couple on the dance floor.

"Hey mister!" the bartender starts to object before Damon fixes him with a hard glare, his eyes no longer blue, and veins adorning them.

"Go away." He bites out between clenched teeth, and the man nods, eyes glazed over and trancelike as he quickly moves away from the angry vampire.

Damon gulps in a large intake of breath and his eyes turn blue once more. He downs another shot, fixing his eyes back onto the travesty on the dance floor. He knows he can't really get drunk but darn it he's going to try! He needs to get completely trashed in order to keep himself from doing something stupid, something stupid like confronting Bonnie and making a complete scene in the club. How pathetic would that make him look? Like he'd actually give Bonnie the satisfaction of knowing she'd actually affected him?! No. He wasn't going to do a damn thing. He wasn't going to let Bonnie get the best of him; he would remain calm, cool!

But damn it, watching this guy hold Bonnie, and watching his hands touch her body, makes Damon want to commit murder, brutal, painful murder.

Damon downs another shot, and another, eyes never leaving the dance floor. Soon he is finished with the tray before him, and he calls the bartender over and orders him to bring him another.

The bartender returns and hastily leaves, Damon doesn't acknowledge him, just continues to stare bitterly at Bonnie and her dumb date. He looks around and notices that the other couples have gone back to dancing and talking. Good. No need to give the witch a big head, he'd already started to rub off on her in that department, no need to make things worst…

He downs a couple of the fresh shots before him and runs a frustrated hand through his hair. He wants to look away, wants to enjoy his drinks and ignore Bonnie, completely ignore her, but he can't. He can't look away because he doesn't want to miss any thing. He needs to know what's going on at all times; he needs to make sure that Bonnie doesn't do any thing stupid. Or Toby…

And right at that moment, as if on cue, the _**stupid**_ _**thing,**_ Damon was waiting for, happens. Toby pulls Bonnie's body even closer to his and starts to grind on her.

Damon's eyes widen at the movement and his jaw clenches painstakingly tight as he watches Bonnie grind into him as well. They move in time together, bodies ridiculously close, practically having sex on the dance floor.

Fuck no! No fucking way in hell!

Damon loses it. He completely loses it. He rises from his seat, at the sight, pieces of broken glass in his hand from the shot glass he's just crushed. And just as he is about to…well he doesn't know exactly… storm over and break them up, decapitate Tyler, beat him into a bloody pulp, kill him, or maybe all four, Bonnie suddenly breaks away from the football player.

The small witch just stops their grinding out of nowhere, moves away from his body and begins to look frantically around the club, a confused look on her face.

Damon freezes and watches her curiously and is a little more than surprised when her eyes lock onto his. His face takes on a shocked expression but he quickly recovers and openly glares at her, eyes barely able to display the deep fury he feels.

Bonnie just stares at him for a second, eyes narrowed as if she's searching him for something. Then suddenly she turns to Toby. Damon hears her tell him that she'll be right back. She kind of bites the words out and Damon can tell she's angry. Good! Cause he's fuckin angry too!!

The witch turns swiftly and starts walking towards him, a venomous glare of her own in place.

Damon's heart speeds in anticipation. Boy is he ready to give her a piece of his mind! Just as he is about to tell her a thing or two about herself, she speaks.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Bonnie asks/demands angrily, coming to stand directly in front of Damon once she reaches him, full lips fixed in a thin line.

Damon is momentarily thrown off by her words. He'd been expecting a, "What are you doing _**here**_," not a vague "What are you doing?"

"Could you specify?" Damon bites out, rolling his eyes, glare still present all the while.

"Stay the hell out of my head!" the little witch says, brown-green eyes flashing with fury.

Okay…seriously what is she talking about??

"Okay, seriously what are you talking about?"

"I heard you, in my head, all angry and broody." Bonnie says, bringing a hand up to her hip.

What?...What?! That was impossible!! See? She was annoying. Very annoying…and delusional!

"Well I didn't do any thing, alright. So why don't you go fuck off." The vampire spits angrily, and seconds later he's doubling over in pain.

"_**Ahh!!"**_

"Don't talk to me like that."

"Bitch!" Damon exclaims in pain. _**"Ahhhh!!"**_ he immediately yells afterwards, already regretting his verbal slipup.

"Sorry!" he bitterly bites out, cursing inwardly as the pain subsides and he stands straight and directs a murderous glare at Bonnie, eyes bleeding black momentarily. The little witch appears un-phased though.

"What are you stocking me now?" she asks, arching a perfect eyebrow and glaring back at the blue-eyed man.

"You wish. I've got better things to do than waste my time on _**you.**_" Damon spits venomously, scrunching his nose slightly in utter disgust as he says "you."

"What are you doing here then?" Bonnie challenges, seemingly un-phased by his harsh words.

"Having drinks; what does it look like?" Damon deadpans, giving Bonnie a "duh" look. "Having fun?" he adds, eyeing the watching lanky football player, and then fixing the witch with a pointed look.

Bonnie is quiet for a moment and he wonders what she's thinking. Her face is blank he can he almost see the wheels turning in that pretty little head of hers. She opens her mouth as if to say something, but then seems to decide against it before directing a shit-eating grin at him and laughing slightly before she speaks.

"Enjoy your drinks." She says, with finality, before turning to leave.

"Trying to get even with me? Pretty childish Bon, don't you think?" Damon presses on before she can even take a retreating step.

The beautiful woman turns on the spot and narrows her eyes at the vampire.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Like you don't know." Damon scoffs incredulously, simultaneously shaking his head slowly.

"What you've got cooked up in that twisted little brain of yours? No. I don't know." Bonnie hisses, calm demeanor diminishing.

"You're just here with Toby –

"Tyler"

"_**Whatever**_"

_So that was his name…knew Toby sounded a little off… _

"You're just here with him to get back at me." Damon informs.

"Please. Back at you for what?" Bonnie scoffs coolly in return, and she looks so shocked and appalled that Damon almost believes she has no idea what he is talking about. Almost.

"For leaving town suddenly, for staying gone for three nights…for sleeping around." Damon says, a knowing look on his face.

Bonnie scoffs. She actually scoffs…again!

"Why would I be mad at you, Damon?" she asks slowly, voice low and sweet. "It's a free country."

"The hell it is!" The vampire exclaims in frustration. "Why else would you go out with Toby?!" he angrily demands.

"Well first of all, his name is Tyler."

"I don't give a _**shit.**_"

"And I happen to like him." Bonnie continues, ignoring Damon's previous statement. "Surely you know the science of it all. I've got feelings for him, I'm acting on them. Why do you care so much?" she says all in one breath, glaring all the while before directing a challenging stare at the vampire.

"I don't." Damon growls out between clenched teeth, glaring dangerously at the witch. "And your damn "feelings" must not be too strong, considering you wore the jacket _**I**_ bought you." He says darkly, eyes moving over to the black, leather object adorning one of the club tables. "And on your _**first date**_, Bonnie. Not off to a great start now, are we baby?"

"Don't call me that." Bonnie says fiercely, eyes venomous and dangerous. "And you hardly _**bought**_ me anything! I had to wear your stupid jacket home after you freakin ripped my clothes off that night. Or did you forget?"

"Oh I remember."

"Me, being the nice human being I am, I washed it. It shrunk. You said you didn't want it anymore. You didn't _**buy**_ me anything! And I wore your stupid jacket _**tonight**_ so I wouldn't be cold, alright?!" she rattles off before stopping abruptly, an incredulous look on her face. "You know what? I don't have to do this. I'm _**not**_ doing this. I don't owe you an explanation." She says before looking directly into his cold eyes, her own cold as well. "Why don't you just do us all a favor and find another place to _**get drunk at.**_ Leave." She spits.

Damon fake thinks before fixing the witch with a deadpanned look.

"No, I think I'll stay, remember "free country" and all…" he smiles menacingly.

Bonnie sighs loudly in return before groaning out in frustration and twisting a tendril of hair in her fingers.

"Why do you _**insist**_ on ruining my life?!" she exclaims.

"It's just so fun; I can't help it."

"You _**asshole!**_ _**Leave!**_" Bonnie exclaims, furious at the vampire's careless reply.

"Oh but we're having so much fun." Damon spits back aggressively, and Bonnie fixes him with a glare, a glare so murderous, vicious, furious, and dangerous, that it slightly surprises the vampire that she's even capable of such a look.

She then turns abruptly and moves to leave, but Damon swiftly reaches out and grabs her arm firmly, simultaneously wheeling her around to face him.

"Why are you out with this tool?!" he demands, staring down at Bonnie with intense eyes that demand answers. "Why are you here with this stupid, dumb ass, preppy, rich boy, foot ball player?!"

"Cause I want to be!!!" Bonnie throws back, ripping her arm out of Damon's grasp, clearly unable to calm her anger any longer. "Gosh!!" she exclaims furiously. "Why do you care so much?!?!"

At these words, Damon freezes face going blank. He didn't care! He really didn't, yet he knew that he was definitely acting as if he did. Great. He'd done exactly what he'd been trying all night not to: let Bonnie know that she was having an affect on him. Great. Fucking great. Well, no more, Damon decided. He was going to salvage what was left of his pride and forget about this woman whom was clearly a waste of his time.

"You know what, I don't." he says with finality, anger gone from his face, and blankness replacing it. "This," Damon lets out, motioning between himself and Bonnie. "is so over." He informs, jaw clenched tightly and eyes passionate.

"Well if you hadn't noticed, I haven't exactly been _**banging**_ down your bedroom door this past week." Bonnie throws back, pointing out the fact that they'd been "over" for quite some time.

Damon rolls his eyes and growls in frustration at the infuriating witch.

"Just Go. Get." He says coldly, eyes dark and angry. "Go dance. Dance your fuckin brains out!" He says, hating the resentful tone in his voice.

"I will." Bonnie assures him before turning on her heels and walking back over to the dance floor.

"Good!" Damon calls after her.

"Great!" Bonnie calls over her shoulder.

Damon furiously rips his eyes away from the sight of the retreating witch, swiftly moving over to the bar with purpose, refusing to watch the infuriating sight of Bonnie and _**Tyler**_ (dick/asshole) any longer.

"Sorry about that." He hears Bonnie tell the football player.

"It's fine." He says in return. "Every thing alright?" Damon hears him question. "Looked pretty intense from here."

"Yeah"

Damon can basically hear the frustration in Bonnie's sigh. Well great! Cause he's fuckin frustrated too!

"You sure you don't need me to handle any thing?" Tyler's protective voice reaches Damon's ears and the vampire nearly laughs out loud.

_Please. You couldn't "handle" __**me**__ if I was blindfolded, handcuffed, leg-bounded, and full of vervain! _He thinks darkly.

"I'm sure" Damon hears Bonnie answer, and he slams himself down onto a barstool bitterly thinking that Tyler ought to really thank the witch because she'd just saved his life, and he's honestly disappointed because he would've enjoyed nothing more than to pound the breath out of the other man. Handle _**him?**_ Ha!

The furious vampire orders a tray of shots and a bottle of vodka, and when the female bartender eyes him warily he just fixes her with a death glare, not even bothering to compel her.

A bottle is quickly shoved into his hands, and the woman moves to prepare his shots.

Damon immediately pop opens the bottle and downs a generous amount in one gulp.

He roughly rips off his leather jacket, so angry that his body temperature is even hot. He sheds the suffocating leather and vengefully takes another gulp of vodka. He's angry, extemely angry, furious, livid, turned on, extremely turned on.

Bonnie's caramel skin had been practically glowing under the chandelier lights that adorned the dance floor, her brown-green eyes shining intensely as well as she glared at him. Her lips had been full and fixed into a firm line. Not to mention that the tighgt, form fitting dress made her body look absolutely incedible. All four factors made the vampire completely aware of one thing. Bonnie Bennett was sexy when she was pissed, extremely sexy, and as angry as Damon was with her, he'd noticed this.

And now he was extremely turned on, extremely aroused, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Damon is on his last shot on the shot try and half way through his bottle of vodka when he hears Bonnie announce that she has to go to the bathroom.

He turns around, for the first time since he's took his seat at the bar, eyes watching Tyler leading Bonnie over to the hall that leads to the bathrooms.

He watches as Bonnie disappears down the hall and Tyler leans on the wall beside it.

He contemplates making another attempt to talk to Bonnie. On one hand, there's his pride. He's already messed up and showed he's jealous; did he really want to risk slipping up further? But on the other hand there was the lust he felt, the overwhelming desire to have Bonnie in his arms, to be burrowed deep inside of her, to hear his name on her lips.

Damon's desire quickly wins out against his pride and he arises from his seat at the bar, moving towards the bathroom area, Bonnie'd disappeared down.

The sad thing is that he walks perfectly straight and upright, and after he's drunken over 50 shots and half a bottle of vodka, he's still no where near even _**thinking**_ of being _**tipsy!!**_

He notices Tyler leaning against the wall that leads to the hallway but simply ignores him as he enters the medium sized hall.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" the dark haired man demands, actually reaching out and wrapping a firm hand around Damon's arm.

'You've got to be kidding me!' is all Damon can think to himself.

"Let me go." Damon commands, pupils dilating as he compels Tyler; he doesn't have time for a petty talk.

Tyler releases Damon's arm and the vampire dusts off his shirt before turning to the other man and punching him hard across the jaw for good measure.

"You won't remember this." He says before making his way down the adjacent hallway.

He spots Bonnie at the water fountain, bent slightly at the tall machine, taking a swig. Damon smiles evilly at the perfect vulnerable position he's found the witch in.

He moves behind her, swiftly wrapping his arms around her, and bringing his hands up to grab hold of her perfect breasts.

"Why don't you leave this punk, come with me and I'll give you what you really want." Damon whispers lowly and huskily, head nestled in Bonnie's neck, lips brushing her skin as he speaks. He places a wet kiss on Bonnie's neck and simultaneously gives her breasts a squeeze, knowing that Bonnie has a weakness for neck kisses, and is nearly driven to the brink of insanity when he ravishes her breasts.

Apparently not this time though. Unless she's showing her arousal by causing him pain and pushing him away…

Bonnie kicks him in the balls, good and hard, and Damon doubles over in pain.

"Fuck!" he exclaims from the blow of the kick, grasping his throbbing midsection in pain. "Damn it Bonnie!" he lets out, staring resentfully at the witch.

"Get the hell away from me, Damon." Bonnie bites out, staring heartlessly at the vampire. "_**Stay**_ the hell away from me." She reiterates. "How many times do I have to say it?!"

"_**What are you trying to fucking prove by throwing yourself at some life-sized dick?!" **_Damon exclaims/demands, completely fed up with her, completely fed up with this pointless, infuriating situation.

He feels eyes on him and turns to the side to see a man in the doorway of the men's bathroom, staring at him in Bonnie in shock, as if he doesn't quite know what to do.

"_**Mind your damn business!"**_ Damon barks and the man quickly scurries away.

"_**Dick?**_ You're one to talk." Bonnie says in response to Damon's previous statement, and his blood boils at her words and demeanor because really it's not fair that she can be so calm when he's…well _**not**_ calm!

"You weren't complaining when this _**dick**_ was inside of you." The vampire angrily spits back, eyes shining furiously.

The words silence Bonnie, a vindictive look on her face and something else…shame, regret?

"Never again." She finally says, shaking her head bitterly. "Never again will I be so stupid –

"Yes you will." Damon interrupts, rolling his eyes slightly at her dramatic words. "You will cause you want me, Bonnie." He tells her, looking directly into her eyes, his own having abandoned fury for passion and lust. "Your entire body craves for me; your soul even cries out to me." He says, leaning into her suddenly and moving an out of place tendril of hair behind her ear. "Every thing in you wants me." He smiles wickedly at her.

Bonnie glares defiantly at Damon before swiftly moving away from his suffocating body and touch.

"I _**hate**_ you and want nothing to do with you." She corrects his previous statements with a statement of her own.

"Liar" Damon replies simply, eyes shining in a challenging/taunting way.

"Go to hell." Bonnie bites out before moving past the vampire, out of the hallway, and back out into the crowded club.

"Already there babe." Damon lets out, glaring down at the floor in frustration as he allows Bonnie to move away from him.

He chews on the inside of his mouth in frustration and confusion, cursing the affect the witch has on him, how her words can hurt him, how every thing about her seems to arouse him, how he's drawn to her. He seriously doesn't know what's wrong with him. All he knows is that he's sick of Bonnie being with this other guy, sick of her blowing _**him**_ off, and damn her breast had felt **_way_** to good through the thin silky fabric of that hot red number she was wearing. And Damon decides that his is more than ready to "make-up" (figuratively speaking) with the witch and unleash all of the pent up sexual tension, he's been feeling for her, into her, until they are both crashing and riding a wave of pleasure.

Damon runs a hand through his hair, all of his anger, fury, confusion, and frustration, molding into one emotion. Lust. It seems to have doubled from what it'd been earlier, the lust, lust for Bonnie's body, her blood, all of her.

A low growl escapes the vampire's lips and the lust he feels seems to wash over him, burrowing into his every pore, suffocating him. He smells her. He can smell her arousal from where he stands. He knows that she is just as turned on as he is, and this only furthers his need for her, his need to feel her body against his.

All sexual thoughts are brought to an abrupt halt however, as a deep voice finds its way into Damon's ears.

"Wanna head over to my place. My parents are out of town at a convention; we could hang?"

Tyler's words penetrate Damon's hearing and seem to echo repeatedly in the vampire's mind. When he hears Bonnie's quiet "sure" he all but loses it.

Fury ignites inside of him as he quickly retrieves his leather jacket and, with the speed of light, storms over to the couple, who are moving to leave, jackets on and belonging in hand. Damon swiftly moves between them, attention on Bonnie as he glares fiercely at her before speaking.

"You're _**not**_ going home with him." He tells her, voice firm and eyes dangerous.

"What the hell?!" he hears an angry Tyler exclaim, but ignores him, because honestly, she's _**not**_ going to this guy's house and she needs to know that.

"Go away." Bonnie tells him, lips a thin line and eyes vindictive.

"You're not fucking going home with him, Bonnie." Damon repeats, glare unfaltering.

You can't tell me what to do, Damon." Bonnie spits in frustration of the man before her.

"You're not sleeping with him." Damon informs, shaking his head swiftly for emphasis.

"I wouldn't do _**that**_ anyways?!" Bonnie exclaims incredulously, eyeing the vampire with shocked eyes. "This is our first date for heaven's sakes. Who do you think I am?!" she demands, a little hurt by the fact that he obviously thinks she's some kind of whore.

"I don't know, Bonnie." Damon answers, shrugging slightly, an inquiring look on his face. "All I know is that you're trying to get even with me, for sleeping with those other girls, and you're capable of any thing."

Bonnie sucks in a sudden breath at these words, briefly closing her eyes and letting it out slowly before opening her eyes back up and glaring at Damon.

"For the last time you stubborn, _**stubborn**_ man," she starts through clenched teeth. "I am _**not**_ doing this to get back at you, to get _**even**_ with you, or whatever." she says. "How many times do I have to tell you?!"

"You can _**tell**_ me as many times as you want, that still won't make it true!" Damon argues, ruthlessly. He feels eyes on him, they've gathered the attention of many of the people inside of the club, he knows, he doesn't care.

"I'm not going to sleep with him!!" Bonnie suddenly exclaims, plain out tired of Damon and ready to get away from him. "Okay?!" she questions frustrated. "I'm not _**sleeping **_with him, I'm just going to go to his house, and we're going to hang out and talk; you can't do any thing to stop it!" she tells the aggravatingly, controlling vampire before grabbing hold of Tyler's hand and exiting the club.

Damon follows after, messily throwing on his leather jacket as they enter the night air, his blood boiling at the witch's words and the sight of her hand intertwined with the football players.

"Except beat the crap out of your date and carry you home, over my shoulder, kicking and screaming the entire way!" he deadpans in response to Bonnie's "plans" for the night.

And the three pause in front of the brick wall of the club, night silent and empty. And at this point Tyler seems to reach his limit of toleration, and quickly involves himself into the altercation before him.

"Hey, you're not going to force Bonnie to do any thing." The muscular man says firmly, eyes narrowing as he sends a dangerous glare to Damon.

"Oh, don't you get into this rich boy." Damon warns, nostrils flaring in anger. "You'll get yourself seriously hurt."

"You think I'm scared of you punk?" Tyler throws back, sneering actually, sneering at Damon Salvatore. "I will kick the crap out of your old ass." he bites out toughly.

"Oh looky he speaks trash." Damon says in a voice similar to what parents talk to babies in. "Don't make threats unless you can follow through with them, young tike." He deadpans, clenching a fist and moving to get closer to the football player.

"Leave him alone, Damon." Bonnie says, before coming to stand between the two men. Gosh you're so immature. Why don't pick on somebody your own size?" she says, glaring with open disgust at the vampire.

"Immature?" Damon repeats incredulously, mulling the word around in his brain.

"Please Bonnie, move to the side so I can beat this punk's ass!" Tyler begs the little witch, glaring furiously at Damon whom laughs inwardly at the humorous words.

"_**Please**_ move to the side so he can kick _**my**_ ass." Damon repeats, grinning evilly at Bonnie who knows just as well as he does that he can and very well might seriously hurt Tyler.

"You jerk." She glares angrily at him before turning her attention to Tyler.

"Don't Ty." She says, placing a hand firmly on his chest. "He isn't worth it." she says, looking darkly at Damon.

The words sting and infuriate Damon but even more than the words, the sight of Bonnie's hand on Tyler's chest and the concern she obviously has for the boy infuriates the vampire.

"But I was worth _**fucking,**_ for an entire month, wasn't I?" he throws back angrily, bitterly. "You weren't complaining about my _**maturity level**_ when I was fucking your brains out." He spits ruthlessly.

Bonnie's eyes widen in horror of Damon's vulgar words and her face flushes as she realizes that Tyler's heard every word and now knows about them, knows about her sleeping with him. She glances at the man in terror, terror of what he will think of her now, but he merely shakes his head in a manor that tells her not to worry about it. She nods her head in relief before turning and glaring at Damon.

"Real mature." She says sarcastically, shaking her head in barely controlled anger. "Why don't you just go ahead and describe the sex in _**detail**_ for Tyler?!"

"Gladly!" Damon spits. "The last time we were together, she was writhing underneath me, moaning and squeaking, my name on her tongue as I slammed continuously –

"Shut up!" Bonnie exclaims in utter shock and horror. "Just _**shut up!"**_ she repeats, eyes full of anger, hurt, shock, and many other passionate emotions. "I hate you!" she exclaims, eyes shining in pure disgust at the man before her.

"There's a very thin line between hate and love." Damon rattles, determined not to let Bonnie's hurt expression qualm his anger and wrath.

Bonnie merely shakes her head swiftly in response, as if completely thrown off and blown away by Damon.

"What do you want from me?!" the witch exclaims suddenly, face expressing a deep despair Damon's never seen before. "Do you want me to suffer? Do you want me to be alone? Do you want me to apologize for going out with another guy even though you make it perfectly clear that you were screwing other women?! _**What do you want from me?!"**_ she asks quickly, all in one breath, eyes shining intensely as she rips off the leather jacket she is wearing and tosses it on the ground, unable to wear the object that smells like him.

"_**I want you!"**_ Damon finally exclaims, eyes shut tightly in complete fear and horror of what he's just admitted. "I want you, damn it!" he bravely continues, opening his eyes and staring down into Bonnie's beautiful brown-green ones. "I want what we had before!" he tells her.

"No you don't!" Bonnie exclaims, seemingly un-phased by Damon's previous words. "If you wanted me, you wouldn't have left town and slept with every other female you could find!" she argues fiercely.

"It was only _**three**_ and I didn't think you'd care in the first place!!" Damon defends.

"Yes you did! That's exactly _**why**_ you did it. To hurt me!" Bonnie exclaims incredulously.

"I did it to prove a point, Bonnie." Damon sighs, blue eyes softening momentarily. "Gosh, I didn't know you'd get so bent out of shape about it." he says, rolling his eyes slightly.

"I'm not!" Bonnie immediately argues.

"Yes you are!" Damon exclaims, directing the incredulous look Bonnie'd previously sent him, back to her. "And that's what I don't understand." He admits voice now quiet as he studies the woman before him. "Why are you so upset about it?" he asks softly.

Bonnie doesn't answer, just stares down at her feet, seemingly determined to avoid eye contact with him.

"It doesn't even matter." He sighs after a couple minutes of silence. "Just…don't go home with this guy." He quietly requests, now suddenly interest in his own feet. "Go home with me. I want you back." He whispers.

"And that's what _**I**_ don't get." Bonnie speaks, looking up and catching Damon's blue eyes. "Why do you want me back? Why are you so strongly affected by seeing me out with another guy? Why?" she asks, voice sincerely curious.

"I guess we both have some questions we don't really know the answer to." Damon finally answers after a moment of thinking. He then sighs and runs a hand through his brown hair. "Look Bonnie, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, okay?!" he says. "I'm so _**damn**_ sorry!...I shouldn't have left town the way I did, I shouldn't have toyed around with you."

And there it was. The thing she'd wanted to hear more than any thing, ever since Damon's return home: an apology.

Bonnie can literally feel the anger in her diminish, can see Damon calming, can feel an end to the emotional rollercoaster she's been riding with him, can finally see a way out of the storm they've been brewing together.

"Please, forgive me." Damon finally says. "I don't want this to stop. I don't know what it is, but it's good. Please don't end it." he says, acting more sincere and more human than he has in an entire decade. And seriously, **_what the hell is going on?!_** What is wrong with him?! Damon Salvatore did **_not_** apologize!!! Still...Hopefully Bonnie would forgive him.

He looks down into her beautiful hazel like eyes and she looks up into his, and he can almost see the battle going on in the witch's head as she contemplates his words. He has basically asked her to chose between him and Tyler, he knows he should be more confident, he's Damon Salvatore after all! But he's not; he's not confident. Bonnie likes Tyler, she cares about him; she's made it painfully obvious all night. They got along, had conversations, had dating potential. What did _**they**_ have? Sex?

It seems as if that is the only thing he has going for him but still Damon looks down into Bonnie's eyes, momentarily getting lost in them as he wills her to chose **_him_**, wills her to take a chance with him, and buries the need to know why he wants and needs her so badly in the first place. Right now that doesn't matter, it only matters that he has her.

"I'm sorry Tyler I…" she finally says after a painstakingly long amount of silence. "We've got something." She says, eyeing the football player apologetically.

The man sighs at her words and shakes his head slowly, warily.

"I don't know about this one Bonnie. I think you're making a mistake." the other man says, eyeing Damon pointedly.

"Probably." Bonnie agrees before smiling sadly up at Tyler. "I'm sorry." She says, and he nods before directing his attention to an oddly silent Damon.

"You hurt her, I kick your ass." he threatens, glaring dangerously at the older man.

"Fuck off" Damon spits before turning his attention to Bonnie and watching out of the corner of his eye as Tyler walks away.

He abruptly pins Bonnie against the brick wall of the club, crashing his lips into hers and kissing her heatedly, passionately, because honestly, a week is way too long to go without kissing this woman, and honestly he's waited **_all_** night long to do it...amongst other things.

Their lips meet continuously and his tongue immediately demands entrance to her warm mouth, an electric shock surging through the vampire as their tongues wrestle for dominance until Bonnie finally gives in, but not without a tough fight.

Damon growls out in the middle of the mind-blowing kiss because damn Bonnie is an amazing kisser. No one should be that great of a kisser. He sucks on her tongue, bites and pulls on her lips, and does all the things he knows drives her over the edge. And when she breathes his name, he is overwhelmed with a strong feeling of possessiveness.

He pulls Bonnie's small body away from the wall and into his as he wraps strong arms around her waist, still kissing her all the while. Practically going hard at the mere movement because her body feels damn good in this silk, and damn accessible.

**_"Nobody"_** Damon growls out in their kiss, vocal vibrations tickling Bonnie's lips. "Nobody gets to kiss you like this." He says, lightly biting the witch's full lips for emphasis and eliciting a tiny moan, that fuels him, from her. "Nobody gets to _**touch**_ you like this. You understand?" he finishes, moving his hands around Bonnie's back, feeling the heat from her skin through the thin fabric. He lets his hands move down and run over Bonnie's inviting ass before squeezing it slightly, which elicits a gasp from the beautiful woman in his arms.

Damon finally breaks away from Bonnie's lips and moves his hands and arms so that they are back, wrapped tightly around Bonnie's small waist .He fixes the witch with a firm stare, eyes intense and powerful.

"You're mine." he grounds out possessively and Bonnie finally nods in submission, her cute little curls moving as she does so.

A satisfied look adorns the vampire's face and he kisses Bonnie briefly before moving down to her neck. He kisses her in one spot before proceeding to suck, hard, determined to leave a hicky, several hickies, determined to mark his territory so that everyone knows she is his.

Finally Damon breaks away from her neck, satisfied with the four forming hickies on the witch's body.

"And what about you?" Bonnie pants, out of breath, eyeing the vampire questioningly. "You promise not to be with any body else? Not to kiss, touch, or sleep with anyone else?" she questions.

The words catch Damon off guard and he honestly doesn't know what to day. He's been a free man since Katherine, he hasn't been with just one girl for large amounts of times, he's not even sure he remembers how to, or if he wants to. Does he really wanna forgo all of those hot women for Bonnie?

"You ass!" Bonnie exclaims, furious at Damon's silence. " Forget every thing I said then!" she tells him, moving her hands to his chest to push him away, but Damon merely pulls her further into him before capturing her lips once more.

"Get off!" Bonnie attempts, voice muffled by Damon's mouth. She struggles, hits him, kicks him, but he won't let her go, and he won't stop kissing her. So she just stands still, and allows him to kiss her, but this quickly gets old so finally, after a few minutes of fighting, she gives in and kisses the ruthless creature back.

They break apart for air and Bonnie gulps it in eagerly, furious at herself for giving in and kissing Damon. She grudgingly wipes off her lips, full of self loathe.

Damon lets out a long, loud groan, bending down and placing a soft kiss on the stiff and tense Bonnie's neck.

"Fine" he sighs into her salty skin, and Bonnie freezes, knowing what the word means and cursing the extreme happiness she feels at the sound of it.

"Fine?" she questions, hesitantly.

"Fine." Damon repeats, nodding his head in submission, praying to God that he hasn't gotten himself into something horrible. He bends down and retrieves Bonnie's jacket from the ground and dusts it off, any thing to avoid the woman's sickening proud and happy gaze.

"You better be sincere, Damon," She warns. "Because if you screw up, I'm gone...and I'll kick your ass." she promises.

"Yeah yeah" Damon chides bored like, wordlessly draping his old jacket over Bonie's shoulders before swiftly lifting her off of the ground, making a swift dash for the manor. He still had loads of built up sexual anger and frustration he needed to get out, and really, a week was too long to go without sex with Bonnie.

**END OF FLASHBACK:**

Damon didn't know what they'd had going on back then? Didn't know why he held such strong feelings towards the witch. Still didn't completely _**like**_ her. But he was attracted to her, greatly, and did enjoy sleeping with her. Who would've ever thought that Bonnie would change him, maneuver her little way into his heart and change him? Who would've ever known that such a toxic relationship would grow into something so much stronger, so much more?

Life was strange. like that Life was unpredicatable, life was full of struggles. You went through and experienced countless of crazy and unpredictable trials and tribulations, struggles, but at the end of the day you'd be a better peron because of them.

And at the end of the day, Damon would be a better person because of Bonnie and their struggle.

**PRESENT TIME:**

Time seems to move in slow motion for a moment.

Katherine was back. She and Damon were…together? Bonnie doesn't know for sure but it sure _**seems**_ obvious.

Damon appears oddly extremely angry to see the brunette, Bonnie's so shocked and furious she can barely move, and Stefan's eyes can't open any wider.

"_**Katherine?!" **_the bug-eyed vampire sputters again in disbelief, finally interrupting the temporary silence. His exclamation to the Elena look alike seems to awaken _**everyone**_ from their silence. And suddenly time resumes, and the next couple of things happen quite quickly.

Bonnie scoffs incredulously, looking away from the three vampires and out at the scenery as she runs a frustrated hand through her long tresses. And Damon thinks he's going to burst one of his blood vessels from the fury he feels.

"_**WHAT are you doing here?" **_he bites out between tightly clenched teeth, glaring angrily at the brunette who'd just attacked his lips.

"Baby, I couldn't possibly let you go on vacation without me!" Katherine replies innocently before directing her attention to Stefan, smiling seductively, and wiggling her fingers in a flirtatious greeting. "Hey Stef" she purrs.

"Unbelievable." Bonnie finally speaks, turning to glare at a frazzled, distraught looking Damon. "How in the world do you find it so easy to lie to my face?" she asks, hurt evident in her voice.

"I wasn't lying." Damon attempts, eyes shining intensely at Bonnie as he wills her to believe him, to know that he is sincere. "Believe me. I meant every word." He quietly assures her.

"Who's the girl?" Katherine asks lightly, nose wrinkled up in distaste as she looks back and forth at Damon and Stefan, awaiting an answer.

"This is –

"I can introduce myself, _**thank you."**_ Bonnie interrupts Damon, voice cold as she directs a resentful glare at him before turning her attention to the beautiful leather clad woman before her. "Bonnie." She says, offering a hand in greeting.

"Bonnie?" Katherine's eyebrows rise in interest before her face becomes masked and unreadable. "Nice to meet you." She says, shaking Bonnie's outstretched hand.

"Likewise." Bonnie smiles, taking in the woman who looks almost like an exact carbon copy of her best friend, except for the fact that her eyes appear to be light brown, nearly hazel, not like Elena's chocolate brown eyes. There is also a definite cold aura to the woman who seems like a female version of Damon, leather clad from head to toe, tight black leather jacket covering a form fitting black shirt, tight leather pants, and six-inch leather boot/heels.

"I finally get to say I've met the infamous Katherine, the woman who made _**Damon Salvatore**_ fall in love." Bonnie continues, hating herself for being jealous because she herself hadn't been able to capture the man's heart, whom she'd loved so much.

"Yeah well, he couldn't resist." The brunette replies, directing a flirtatious smile at Damon, eyes shining mischievously.

Damon in turn directs an absolutely murderous glare at the woman, but Bonnie doesn't notice for she is still looking at Katherine.

"And modest too!" the witch exclaims sarcastically. "Let me know when TJ gets here." She deadpans before turning on her heels and walking away from the vampire counterparts.

"It's JP." Katherine corrects. "Where ya goin?"

"Away from here." Bonnie says, turning around and staring at the three vampires. Katherine twirls her left hand in a motion that seems to request that Bonnie be less…vague? "Brusters" the witch sighs, rolling her eyes slightly.

"I'll come with you." Damon says.

"No." Bonnie says sternly, fixing him with a piercing stare. "You stay." She bites out venomously. "Stef?" she asks.

"Right behind you." The other vampire announces, moving to follow his friend.

As he passes Damon he directs a hard glare at him.

"Seriously, stop making cruddy decisions. You keep breaking Bonnie, and quite frankly I'm tired of picking up pieces that never should've been scattered in the first place." He says, voice firm and admonishing. "She doesn't deserve this." He finishes before jogging after the retreating witch.

Damon bows his head in frustration and shame. Great. He had hurt Bonnie once again, and right when things had been going so well for them.

"He doesn't sound too happy with you."

Katherine's light and chipper voice interrupts Damon's thoughts and a boiling wave of fury washes over him as he remembers she's there.

"Look at me, back together with both of my men!" the woman exclaims happily, smiling widely, and Damon clenches his fist so tightly that his knuckles turn white. "Aren't I lucky?" the brunette continues, seemingly ignoring Damon's furious demeanor. "We should ditch the girl though, don't you think?" she adds as an afterthought.

"How did you know where we were?" Damon demands, jaw clenched tightly as he struggles to control his anger.

"So that's the "Bonnie,"" Katherine drawls out, ignoring Damon's previous words and circling him slowly. "the one you're always dreaming about," she continues still circling him running a hand over his abs and back as she does so. "the one you accidentally called me when we were _**having sex?!"**_ she bites out angrily, slapping him suddenly and hardly across the face as she comes to stand directly in front of him. "I didn't know _**she**_ was a part of your little vacation!" she exclaims, glaring hotly at him.

"Ouch." Damon groans, rubbing his cheek and directing a cold glare at the woman before him. "You weren't _**supposed**_ to know; this has nothing to do with you." He says.

"Of course it does. You're my boyfriend. Whatever you're involved in, has to do with me." The leather-clad woman spits knowingly.

"Oh I'm your _**boyfriend**_, am I?" Damon exclaims incredulously, nodding his head bitterly. "Quit the bull shit Katherine!" he exclaims, ramming an angry fist into his left palm. "You and I both know you have _**plenty**_ of men; you just keep coming back to me, after your escapades, because, after all of these years, you still consider me some kind of sick consolation prize." He swiftly bites out. "You _**know**_ I'm in love with Bonnie." He says forcefully, directing a dangerous glare at the brunette.

"The vampire that fell in love with a witch…That's different." The vampire woman says nonchalantly, looking down at her fingernails in a bored manner.

Damon's glare turns into a look of surprise as he wonders how Katherine even knew Bonnie was a witch.

"Oh please," the woman scoffs incredulously, catching sight of Damon's confused eyes. "I could smell her blood from a mile away." She says before closing her eyes and licking her lips. "Mmm. Bet she's tasty…" she says before opening her eyes and staring tauntingly at Damon.

"I'll kill you and not think twice about it if you even entertain the _**thought**_ of touching her." He bites out, staring murderously at the beautiful woman.

"Mmm, protective." Katherine echoes, arching an intrigued eyebrow. "You must _**really**_ love her." She says, glancing momentarily at the small witch eating ice-cream, and then back at Damon. "Well I hate to break it to you but the feelings don't seem to be mutual for her." The vampire says, faux sympathetic smile in place.

Damon lets out an angry growl at these words

"Because _**you**_ had to show up and mess every thing up!" He says in a low dangerous voice before running a frustrated hand through his hair.

"Oh did I?" Katherine asks, voice and face innocent. "My bad." She says before shrugging carelessly. "Consider it payback for trying to go on this little "adventure" without telling me."

"Well you got me!" Damon exclaims in submission, already tired of Katherine and her games. "Good for you. You can go do your…happy dance, _**celebrate**_, throw a party; I really don't care, just leave me the _**hell**_ alone." He lets out quickly, eager and ready to be rid of the nightmare before him.

"You don't mean that." The vampire woman says, feigning shock and hurt.

"I _**really**_ do." Damon returns.

"Huh?" Katherine says lightly, shrugging carelessly. "Well actually, I think I'm going to stick around, see what kind of trouble I can get into…or get you in." she says before directing a dark smile Damon's way; and the vampire is overcome with an overwhelming feeling of déjá vu because he distinctly remembers saying the exact same words to Stefan years ago.

"Why are you doing this?" Damon groans out in frustration and misery, looking over at an upset Bonnie, with longing eyes.

The female, leather-clad, vampire moves a crooked finger beneath his chin and turns his face until he is looking down into her cold light brown eyes.

"Because you're _**mine**_," she tells him, face serious and eyes passionate. "You're my possession, my little toy to play with. You're mine, Damon." She tells him, before smiling evilly at him.

"We'll see about that." Damon throws back defiantly, nostrils flaring in anger and fierce glare in place. He didn't belong to her! He didn't belong to _**anyone,**_ except Bonnie.

Ever sinced he'd met her, practically ever since he'd laid eyes on her they'd had to struggle with one another, struggle to admit their attraction, struggle to admit thier love, and struggle to hold on to it. He'd been already struggling with earning Bonnie's trust back and winning her heart, he could add exposing/killing Katherine to the list.

Either way he wasn't going to give up on Bonnie, give up on them.

Katherine grins in reply to Damon's words.

"You know I love a challenge, baby."

**Author's note:**** Oh my gosh, I totally feel like this chapter was a royal screw up! Why?! I always start off being so excited and proud but then when I proofread and stuff, I end up hating every thing I've done. Please review. I'm really going to need it seeing as I feel completely horrible about this chapter. Please don't lie to me guys. If you hate it, let me know. Any ways, I wrote this author's note before I finished the chapter so that'll explain the change in moods from sad to happy. The rest of this review was pre-written when I'd thought I'd written a GOOD chapter…I have some more shout-outs to make, some credit that must be given!! First of all, thanks Anneryn7! Anneryn likes to write about Tyler having a thing for Bonnie; I like this and decided to use it for this chapter; the credit goes to Anneryn7 though!! Thanks for the idea! Also I must give credit to my sister PrettyGirlRocks! She's writing a Jalex and in her story they went to a Salsa club! That was such a great chapter sis and such a great location; I had to use it!! Thanks for that! Okay, and now for my words of wisdom! Please read it; it's not that long and has a cute little story/tale in it!! Don't forget to review and again thanks SO much for reading!!**

**Words of Wisdom: ****"But you O LORD, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head." (Psalms 3:3)**

**I love this verse!! It's so meaningful and so encouraging! It's saying that though we may have MANY enemies, and everyone seems to be against us, we will not give up in our endeavors. The Lord is a shield from all harm, he is a shield from the words of our enemies and our enemies. He is our glory, in him we have glory, victory; and he lifts our heads. When we are down, feeling like the scum of the earth, God will lift our heads if we believe and trust in him! Gosh it feels so good and reassuring to know that!! Here's the cute little story! My Pastor told us it at Church a couple of Sundays ago!**

**There was a mule. He was down in a hole. His owner wanted to kill him, bury him alive. His owner stood above the ground, shovel in hand, and the mule stood trapped. At least it appeared that way…each time the owner moved dirt on top of the mule, the animal shook it off and then patted it down onto the earth below him. The owner continued to attempt to bury the animal but the mule continued to shake and pat the dirt down. Soon the mule was completely out of the whole and looking directly into the eyes of his shocked owner!**

**Gosh I love this story!! Some times the world will throw trials and tribulations at you. Some times your enemies will surround you. They will pour dirt on top of you, trying to bury you alive. But you can't be defeated; you can't be defeated by your problems. It's not how big the problem is; it's how you look at it, how you handle it. Do not be defeated, do not be buried; look at your problems positively, find the lesson in them, and get out of them. They make you stronger in the end!**

**Hope this has helped you and encouraged you! Thank you so much for reading it and please always try to read the "Words of Wisdom" at the end. They really will bless you. Thanks again and God bless!! **


	7. Chapter 7 Part 1

**Author's note:**** Wow. I'm just really sorry, really seriously, and truly, from the bottom of my heart SORRY. I thought I could do it, I really did. I thought I could update weekly, but that just isn't the case. My chapters are extremely long, as you know, and they take a long time to write. Given the length of the chapters, updating weekly is virtually IMPOSSIBLE, unless I put ALL of my time into it, which is what I had been doing last week, in hopes of updating last Thursday. But it honestly made me miserable. I was so stressed. I was writing all the time but still not getting anywhere near finishing the chapter. I was stressed beyond what you guys would believe and I just felt absolutely horrible because I'd promised you something and I wanted so desperately to be true to that, to be dependable and reliable and not let you guys down. But I just could not get the chapter up in time. I am sincerely sorry for that. And sadly I have to take back my proposal. I cannot update weekly, it's just entirely too stressful for me. I just really can't do it. And I'm extremely sorry for getting your hopes up. I'm just really way too busy to focus ALL of my time on it as of now. But I am focusing a great deal still. I hope you guys will be able to forgive me. Anyways, this chapter has taken me FOREVER it's actually WAY longer than this, but I realized that it was entirely TOO long. Wish I would've realized that before! But yeah, I've decided to split it into parts, part 1 and part 2. Hopefully I can get part 2 up this weekend, but I don't want to make any promises. ****I'm EXTREMELY busy. Again, I am so very sorry for the wait, for the let down, and just every thing. So sorry. This chapter picks up right where the other one left off, same night, same moment, maybe a minute later. Please enjoy and thank you so very much for reading! **

**Chapter 7 – Part 1**

_Something always brings me back to you_

_It never takes too long_

_And no matter what I say or do_

_I still feel you here till the moment I'm gone_

_You hold me without touch_

_You keep me without chains_

_I've never wanted any thing so much_

_Than to drown in your love and not feel your reign_

_Set me free_

_Leave me be_

_I don't wanna fall another moment into your gravity_

_Here I am_

_And I stand _

_So tall just the way I'm supposed to be_

_But you're onto me _

_And all over me_

Bonnie has always felt that the Sara Bareilles song was written with _**her**_ in mind, written just for her. And as she stares down at the ice-cream before her, determined not to look at her infuriating ex-boyfriend and his "precious" Katherine, the lyrics to this oh so fitting song repeat in her cluttered mind.

She eats her ice-cream in silence, feeling Stefan's concerned eyes on her, all the while, from his spot at the other end of the table. But she ignores him. She ignores his stare and simply wonders; why? Why does she seem doomed, doomed to fall into Damon Salvatore's gravity forever and always?

She's tried so many times to avoid it, to avoid him. She's tried so many times to _**hate**_ him, oh as she tried. But something always brought her back to him, brought him back to her and into her heart, to the point where she was literally drowning in him, and he was in fact "onto her and all over her."

She just wanted to be set free, to have control over her feelings, emotions, to have control over herself. But when it came to Damon, all of that seemed to fly out of the window. She could barely control her actions, let alone her feelings. She couldn't control the way her heart hurt at the sight of Katherine. She couldn't control the painful memories that flooded her brain at the sight of the brunette vixen and her Damon kissing. She couldn't control her old feelings for the vampire that were rushing back with fury and growing stronger every passing moment she spent with him.

Gosh! Why did this have to happen _**now?!**_ Why did he have to come back _**now?! WHY NOW?!**_

Things had been going so perfectly with Jackson. He was the love of her life. He'd asked her to marry him. They were engaged. And now…

Bonnie didn't want to be confused, didn't want to be torn, but she was. She couldn't help it. She couldn't help the affect Damon had on her, the affect he would probably always have on her.

She was a prisoner to her own heart and she hated it. She didn't want to feel this way. She didn't want to feel strongly about Damon again, to love him. He didn't deserve it, after every thing he'd put her through, with Katherine's return merely being the icing on the terrible cake, he didn't deserve _**her.**_ And he wouldn't have her! He wouldn't have her love. She flat out _**refused**_ to give it to him. Point blank! She wouldn't. Well her head wouldn't…what terrified the witch most was, what if her _**heart**_ had other plans??

………………………………**.*DS*………………………………..**

Damon watches Bonnie, eyeing her delicate form as she slowly eats her ice-cream, sadness practically radiating off of her as she does so, seemingly deep in thought.

And Damon feels like the scum of the earth, knowing that, once again, he is the cause of her sadness. I know I've said this before but this time I mean it more than ever when I say, never more has Damon wanted to hear his witch's thoughts. And never more has he wanted to fall into the ground below and be buried alive. He is literally _**sick**_ and tired of making Bonnie hurt.

As he watches her, he feels Katherine's eyes watching _**him**_ as the brunette lowly hums "Gives you hell," by _The All-American Rejects_.

He can practically see the smile on her face as she does so, and he refuses to lay eyes on the annoying woman.

"Trust me, it gives me hell." Damon grounds out, in frustration of the infuriating vampire queen.

The woman in turn chuckles in reply.

"Your frustration pleases me, Damon." She smiles. "You're so amusing."

_Amusing?! _

Damon glares hardly and coldly at Katherine, and if looks could kill, the woman would surely be dead…again. She's freakin _**amused**_ by him?!

Damon clenches his fists tightly, imagining several untimely death situations for the brunette as he wonders, for the umpteenth time, _**who the heck told her where he was?!?!?!**_

"Uh oh. Looks like I made somebody angry." Katherine says in a sing song voice, in response to Damon's furious glare.

"_**Pissed**_ actually," Damon growls out, eyes bleeding black, the vampire nearing the edge of his rope that's been dwindling ever since Katherine's arrival. "Which you haven't seen since I've become a Vamp. Trust me you won't like it." he says, voice low, cold, and full of warning.

"Oh stop being so dramatic!" Katherine deadpans with a careless scoff. "You sound like the Incredible Hulk; _**you won't like me when I'm angry.**_" She laughs, doing her best impression of the Giant green man.

Damon doesn't know what he'd ever seen in the woman, all those years ago, and is seriously wondering right now if maybe Stefan was right and he too _**had**_ been compelled. He grits his teeth, taking a deep breath and counting to himself because honestly, he'd nearly attacked the woman a second ago, out in public, and that would not have gone over well. He needs to calm down.

Finally after a couple of minutes, his eyes turn blue once more and he fixes Katherine with a firm stare.

"You're an _**evil, manipulative**_ _**bitch**_ and you're just angry because you _**don't**_ have love…and I do." He grounds out, eyes cold. "But you," he starts out, shaking his head, a menacing grin in place. "You'll never have love. You're way too cold hearted to even know the meaning of the word." He finishes coolly, eyes twinkling and taunting now, chest swelling with satisfaction at the prospect of serving the vampire queen a taste of her own bitter medicine.

"_**Okay**_…" Katherine trails off, looking down at the ground. "Ew there's freakin dirt on my shoes!" she finishes, nosed scrunched up distastefully as she bends down and wipes at her leather boots, as if she hasn't heard a word Damon's said.

Damon growls out in frustration, running a hand through his brown locks. That'd been his chance to get back at Katherine the best way he could at the moment, verbally. It'd been his chance to hurt her like she was hurting him, make _**her**_ feel anger and pain.

Fail. Epic fail. Again, _**WHO THE HECK TOLD HER WHERE HE WAS?!?!**_

"Alright people! The fun as arrived! Let's get this show on the road!"

As if on cue, JP's voice rips through the air and Damon looks up to see his friend swiftly approaching him. Finally.

"Ready to round up the troops, D?!" the vampire grins. "Let's go_**Hello**_ _**Katherine!!**_" the man's voice raises in surprise as his eyes grow big as they land on the brunette whom has just stood from her task of boot cleaning.

JP eyes the woman before him, briefly glancing at Damon before returning his attention back to Katherine.

And suddenly the bells go off in Damon's head, and he knows his plaguing question has finally been answered. He can practically see Alex Trebek nodding his head at him and saying, "Correct for 200 dollars!" At least if JP's nervous, avoiding eyes and guilty smile are any indication…

"JP" Katherine greets evenly, smirking at the short man before her.

"_**JP**_" Damon echoes, furiously growling the name out.

"I hope you're not too angry…" the 30 year old, 132 year old Vampire starts, sheepishly eyeing his friend, knowing that Damon has figured him out.

"_**You're**_ the reason I'm now up shits creek without a freakin paddle?!" Damon furiously exclaims, glaring dangerously at the other man.

"I couldn't help it, D; she _**compelled**_ me!!" JP argues, eyes begging that his friend sympathize with him.

"Oh" Damon says, eyes softening suddenly as he walks over to stand in front of his friend and places an understanding hand on his shoulder. "I didn't know." He says, patting him reassuringly before suddenly punching him (medium hard) in the shoulder and glaring at him. "What are you, high?!" he exclaims, face incredulous and frustrated. "She can't _**compel**_ you; you're a freakin vampire!!" he exclaims furiously.

"I know." JP replies, another sheepish look in place as even more guilt floods him at Damon's light blow to his shoulder. It seems like he's going to get off of the hook with a slap on the wrist this time, which was very fortunate considering the height of the situation. "But she looked at me with those cold, threatening, light brown eyes, and I caved!" the vampire continues, wincing distastefully when Katherine flashes him a seductive smile in reply to his "kind" words about her. "I'm sorry!" he tells Damon.

"When all of this is over, remind me to kick your ass."

"Okay"

"So are we going to this safe house or what?" Katherine's impatient voice rings out.

It's like nails on a chalk board, to Damon. She's a thorn in his side, ever annoying and frustrating.

"Yeah, we can go." JP answers, looking around slightly. "I just thought there were others…"

"Is this that JP guy?"

JP nearly jumps out of his skin at the sudden arrival of Stefan. The older vampire had just searched the grounds and hadn't seen anyone approaching.

"Sweet mother of Jesus, you scared the crap out of me!" the 30 year old exclaims, hand over his heart as he struggles to regain normal breathing, silently taking note that there is a figure hiding behind this newcomer.

"Sorry" Stefan says, gray eyes smiling slightly as they lock onto a laughing Damon's who only thinks it proper payback that JP get the crap scared out of him after he'd virtually ruined his life.

"JP, this is my brother, Stefan." The blue-eyed vampire finally speaks, still snickering slightly before calming completely.

JP notices Damon stare in the direction of the figure behind his brother's back, after the introduction, his face taking on an unreadable expression as stares. And the 30 year old's curiosity is peaked even more as to whom this mystery person is. For the moment though he brushes off the question because, this is _**Stefan Salvatore**_, the other Salvatore brother.

"Your brother…" JP says quietly to himself in recognition, the famous Salvatore brothers…

"The one and only…" Damon quips.

"I can see it." JP announces, taking in Damon and Stefan's similarities and resemblances, eyes narrowing as he does so.

"You guys totally look alike." He continues. "You know, in that different mothers, not quite sure of the father sort of way, of course." He says, nodding his head at the brothers.

…

"In other words, not at all." Stefan inquires after a couple of silent seconds, laughing slightly at the realization of the man's words.

"Well you're both lookers." JP offers.

"Thanks" Stefan says, smiling slightly, already deciding that he liked this guy.

"Well that makes one of us."

He hears his brother mutter in response to JP's previous statement.

"Shut up" Stefan shoots at Damon, smiling slightly but trying to hide it as he turns his attention back to JP. "Nice to meet you." He says politely, offering his hand.

"Likewise" JP smiles, shaking Stefan's hand.

"And _**this**_ is," Stefan starts moving to the side and revealing an expressionless Bonnie.

"An angel from the heavens…" JP interrupts, staring at Bonnie, seemingly mesmerized. "Pure beauty." He says quietly.

Even though Bonnie's thoughts are far away from the present and her face is blank and overall demeanor sad, she still looks beautiful, breathtakingly gorgeous. JP couldn't help himself from speaking what'd immediately popped into his mind at the sight of her. She was beautiful, with beautiful caramel skin, entrancing brown-green contrasting eyes, long dark locks that begged to have fingers ran through them, and perfect kissable lips, not to mention the body shape of a goddess. She'd easily make any man salivate. Simply beautiful.

Stefan smirks, amused by the short man's reply.

"I was going to say _**Bonnie.**_" He says, shooting a teasing look at the now slightly blushing witch. "But sure, all of that stuff as well." He smiles to JP.

A look of realization soon overcomes the admiring vampire's face before turning into a look of pure shock.

"This is _**Bonnie?!**_" he exclaims, eyes bulging out in surprise. "Damon's Bonnie?!" he repeats.

"Just Bonnie" he hears the beautiful woman speak for the first time, her quiet mutter, music to his ears. Even her voice is beautiful, smooth and airy. He turns his attention to Damon and gives him a nod of approval.

"She's hot." He announces, in complete awe of his friend. How did he do it? He went from hot girl to hot girl! Never dating below hot! Katherine was hot, albeit a bitch, but a _**hot**_ bitch. And Bonnie? She was mindblowingly, painstakingly beautiful, sexy, and hot, _**and**_ she was the mother of his child?! This guy was one lucky bastard!

"Very hot" JP reiterated, stealing another glance at the beautiful woman before turning his attention back to Damon.

"And what am I, chopped liver?" Katherine lets out lazily looking down at her nails, annoyed by the fact that they were _**still**_ here, still standing, still _**talking**_, and on a _**very**_ boring conversation topic at that.

"I'm sure you're beautiful too Katherine." Damon supplies. "Somewhere." He adds, smiling to himself when he earns a dry glare from the brunette in response.

JP steps to Bonnie and grabs her hand gingerly.

"Nice to meet you, Bella." He smiles charmingly and kisses her hand gently.

"Um you too." Bonnie replies, blushing profusely as she retrieves her hand.

JP smiles at the sight of her flushed cheeks, that only seem to magnify her beauty to him, as he turns around and is met with an angry glare from Damon who is thinking: _Seriously? As if things weren't hard enough! Now I've got to fight __**you**__ off of Bonnie __**too?! And since when did you know how to smile charmingly?!?!**_

JP's smile immediately disappears at the sight of his friend's angry glare, and he smiles sheepishly in apology.

"She's a beautiful woman. I don't know what came over me."

"Can we leave?" Katherine inserts impatiently, eyeing the two vampires warily.

"Yes of course." JP swiftly answers, breaking out of his moment of stupor and moving towards a dimly lit building. "C'mon!" he instructs.

The group leaves the lit area of Brusters and follows the vampire to the adjacent building, where a brown and white Station wagon is parked.

"Dude, you got stuck with the wagon?" Damon asks, nose wrinkled up distastefully as he eyes the old car before him.

"My girl said she needed the 300 tonight." JP mutters embarrassed.

"You're girl is a _**gold-digger.**_ How many times do I have to tell you that? You need to leave her ass." Damon says/admonishes before opening the back door, seeing as Katherine is already sitting comfortably in the front. Fine by him; he didn't want to be seen in this car any how. "You got us riding around in this piece of trash; what are we the Brady Bunch? Just embarrassing…" The vampire continues to grumble before getting into the car.

……………………………**..*BAMON*……………………………..**

Italy was absolutely beautiful, beautiful and romantic. No two words described it better. And full of mountains as well, who would've known. Bonnie sure hadn't. But that's where she found herself now, traveling up a mountain, the road/trail empty, the only source of light coming from their car. It was quite scary actually, especially since it was night time.

"These mountains are nearly impossible to drive up…for humans." JP informs, smiling at Bonnie through the rearview mirror. "The place I have for you is very secluded; you'll be very safe there." He says, eyes still trained on Bonnie who surprisingly directs a small smile back at him, making his heart soar happily by doing so. She simply glows when she smiles.

The witch surprises herself by the cheerful action but for some reason she doesn't feel repulsed by the older man's crush. There's just something about him that is comforting, warm; she can't help but like him and be slightly amused and flattered by his feelings for her.

Damon however is…_**less**_ than amused.

"Keep your eyes on the damn road." He barks out, extremely annoyed and aggravated, and JP directs a sheepish grin at his vampire friend before doing just that.

Bonnie was just so beautiful that JP couldn't help but want to talk to her, flirt with her, look at her. And Damon in turn couldn't help but want to pound his face in for even thinking about _**his**_ Bonnie in a romantic sense. She was _**his.**_ Why couldn't people get that through their thick skulls?! Why couldn't _**she**_ get that?

After about 15 more minutes, in the hour long drive, they reach the top of the mountain before they have to abandon their car, because of the lack of road and lack of room for a motor vehicle.

The top of the mountain is covered in trees and vegetation. JP leads them through the wooded areas, the only source of light being a large flashlight the older vampire has brought with him.

The stay close together and they stay quiet, even Katherine keeps silent, as they listen to JP instruct them from moment to moment. Then finally, after driving through the buzzing cities of exotic buildings and houses, passing the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa, going up the humongous mountain, and trekking through the dark woods, they'd finally reached their destination.

Located in the depths of wood at the top of the mountain, camouflaged perfectly by the large surrounding trees, is a log cabin. Their safe house. The house is located right in _**the midst**_ of the cluttered woods, very much appearing out of nowhere.

It is a medium sized house, made out of logs, with one door at the front and one at the left side. There are no steps that lead to the front door, no porch, just the door; and there is a good 5 by 5 foot clearing in front of the place. Through the curtains the silhouette of light seeps through, which gives the cabin a warm sort of feeling to it.

Bonnie's heart soars at the mere sight of it. She's extremely tired from their exhausting trip and is ecstatic to have finally reached their location, but even more than that, she's excited at the fact that her son and fiancé are less than 20 feet away from her.

She uses the last bit of strength she has to break into a gallop and run swiftly to the front door of their hidden cabin. Stefan follows, directly on her heels. Damon however takes his time, along with Katherine and JP.

Stefan easily beats Bonnie to the door, using his vampire speed, but soon both supernatural entities realize something. They need the key!!

Of course they could've just banged on the door until someone let them in, but considering the dangerous situation they were in, that could easily result in giving their significant others a sure heart attack.

"Yo J! The keys please!" Stefan calls over his shoulder, directing an eager, impatient stare at the vampire that Bonnie's face mirrors.

"Oh of course! Sorry!" the man exclaims before reaching into his left pocket and throwing a key over to Stefan.

The youngest vampire catches it effortlessly and unlocks the door swiftly before running inside, Bonnie in his wake.

The first thing they notice is Elena sitting at a table in the room directly behind the front room, but she isn't sitting for long.

The brunette bolts out of her seat and towards the witch and vampire, at the sight of them, happiness and relief washing over her face.

"Stefan!" she exclaims happily, jumping into her Husband's arms and hugging him tightly.

Stefan in turn smiles and buries his head in Elena's soft hair, inhaling her scent and wrapping his arms tightly around her small waist.

"Elena" he whispers contently.

"Gosh I'm so glad you guys are safe!" the brunette says, leaning her head back, in Stefan's embrace, and kissing him chastely on the lips.

"Mmm. I missed your lips." Stefan says quietly, smiling into their kiss. He feels Elena smile as well before breaking away from their kiss and noticing her best friend for the first time.

"Bonnie!" Elena exclaims happily, excitedly embracing the witch.

Bonnie returns the hug with equal fervor but Elena quickly notices, as they break apart, that the witch's eyebrows are furrowed and the green-eyed beauty appears extremely nervous.

But before Elena can even question her friend's worried state, she speaks.

"Where are Gabriel and Jackson?" she asks, eyes wide and intent.

_Oh. _

Realization dawns on the brown-eyed woman and she pats her friend's back reassuringly.

"Relax Bonnie. Gabriel is asleep and Jackson left to go hunting about five minutes ago." Elena informs.

Relief literally washes over Bonnie's features as she takes in her friend's words, and takes a deep soothing breath, finally able to breathe again.

"Where?" she lets out, and Elena points to their right, where there appears to be a hallway.

"Second door to the left." The beautiful woman says, and Bonnie nods in appreciation before disappearing down the small hall.

Elena locks eyes with Stefan and they share a knowing smile and Elena shakes her head, laughing slightly.

"She is such a mom." The brunette grins and Stefan nods his head in agreement before kissing Elena softly.

"A pro." He tells her, lightly kissing her nose, and she smiles up at him lovingly.

"The girl has a kid too?" a loud voice awakens the two from their love-filled gaze. "I really don't see what you see in her, Damon." The voice continues, growing louder as it nears, and soon the happy couple is staring into the beautiful face of Katherine Pierce, Elena for the first time, coming face to face with her lookalike ancestor.

The 24 year old's jaw drops down to the floor as she stares in shock of the woman she sees before her. _It can't be._

"Do shut your mouth mini-me; it's not very becoming." The older woman says, smirking slightly at her "twins" reaction to seeing her. She then notices, with disdain, that Stefan's arms are wrapped very intimately around the woman's waist.

"So, you actually married my lookalike ancestor?" she questions, directing a taunting, shit eating grin at her old bo. "You wanted me _**that**_ badly?" she questions, arching a perfect eyebrow.

Stefan rolls his eyes in response, but Katherine continues before he can say any thing.

"Well, I'm here now." She smiles, staring at the vampire seductively. "Why settle for the clone when you can have the real thing?" she asks before turning her attention to Elena and sizing her up. "I'd feel a little insecure if I were you." She informs before looking back at Stefan and wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"I wouldn't." Damon cuts in, entering the cabin, JP in tow. "Stefan married Elena because she's nothing like you, because he can't _**stand**_ you." The eldest Salvatore informs, closing the door to the cabin behind him and stepping fully into the room.

"Well I got him once…" the leather clad brunette states, arching a challenging eyebrow.

"Never again" Stefan says, shaking his head vehemently a look of distaste on his features.

It is at this moment that Elena seems to awaken from her temporary stupor and regain power over her voice.

"Katherine?!" the dark-eyed beauty finally exclaims in immense shock and surprise.

The hazel eyed woman turns to her ancestor and smirks.

"As I live and breathe…well die." She says smoothly and Elena just nods her head slowly in reply, seemingly in deep thought, jaw clenched tightly in barely controlled anger before she abruptly turns her attention to Damon and aims a deathly glare at him.

"Nice to see you got what you _**had**_ to have all those years ago, _**ass.**_" She viciously spits, slapping Damon hard across the face. "That's for _**Bonnie**_, because she's probably too hurt to do it right now." The brunette coldly says before turning on her heal and walking off towards the hallway. "Excuse me" she bites out, taking her leave and heading after her best friend.

It's quiet for a few seconds while Damon rubs his offending jaw, Stefan contemplates going after Elena, and JP awkwardly eyes the floor.

"Nice to meet you to, Alana!" Katherine's voice rings out through the silence, and all of the men don't even appear surprised to see a bright smile on the brunette's face.

"Elena" Stefan stiffly corrects.

"Whatever" she brushes off before plopping down on the couch, in the middle of the room, and directing her attention to an awkwardly standing JP.

"Leave it to Stefan to do something stupid like fall in love with another woman," she says to the short man, not really listening or anticipating a reply. "and a _**saintly**_ one at that." She scoffs, more so to herself than him. "At least Damon's not so ignorant to fall in love with someone other than me." She tells her friend.

JP just nods uneasily in response while watching Damon stare off longingly in the direction Bonnie and Elena have disappeared in. He's sure that Katherine has invented an alternate reality for herself to live in because there's no way she can honestly believe that Damon is not head over heels in love with Bonnie.

_And does she honestly believe that Bonnie is a __**single**__ mother? Who would leave a woman __**that**__ beautiful single? Wait till she finds out __**Damon's**__ the father. I want to be here for that! Perhaps it'll finally shut her loud ass up…_

……………………………**.BON&LANE……………………….**

Elena enters the hallway just in time to catch her best friend quietly closing the door of the room her son is sleeping in.

"He's sleeping soundly." The witch informs, when she notices Elena's presence in the small, dark hallway. "Thanks" she says, smiling before her face takes on a more concerned look as she notices Elena's stressed features.

"Lane, what's wrong?" she asks her friend, and Elena finally breaks.

"Bonnie, I'm so sorry!" she exclaims, eyes shining intensely as she eyes, the woman she's know since she was a toddler, with deep concern.

Bonnie arches a confused eyebrow in response.

"About what?" she asks softly.

"He's an idiot! She can't even hold a candle to you." Elena sputters in response, and finally reality dons on the small witch.

"It's fine, Elena." She assures, a solemn look on her face. "We're over, remember? Whatever." She shrugs slightly.

Elena just stares at Bonnie in response, not buying her tough-girl act for a second, but deciding not to tell her friend this.

"Still. I know how strongly you felt for him." She says instead before running a frustrated hand through her long, beautiful, dark brown hair. "He's a jerk." She sighs before fixing Bonnie with a firm stare. "He'll realize what a huge mistake he's made, trust me." She assures, smiling slightly as she speaks, in an attempt to lift the sad mood she's created.

"It really doesn't matter, Elena." Bonnie assures. "Thanks though." She says as an afterthought, sending Elena a small, appreciative smile. It was always nice to know she cared…

The dark haired girl, in response, throws her arms around the small witch and hugs her tightly before letting her go.

"I love you Bonnie, okay?" she asks, and Bonnie nods in understanding. "You're my sister and I'm always gonna be here for you. And I'll be here when you're finally ready to share your _**true**_ feelings, for Damon, with me."

"Elena, these _**are**_ my…" Bonnie starts to object before her best friend fixes her with a firm stare. She knows her so well…"Okay" she finally concedes, and Elena smiles before wrapping a comforting arm around her friend and proceeding to lead her out into the living room with the others.

"He alright?" Stefan questions as the two besties join the group.

"Knocked out." Bonnie informs, smiling slightly before looking around. "Jackson back?" she asks.

"No" Stefan answers, a sympathetic look on his face as he shakes his head.

"Maybe he's taking a walk or something. Seemed like something was on his mind earlier…" Elena supplies.

"Let me guess, _**must lift weights, must eat, aooga!!**_" Damon butts in, from his spot adjacent to the front of the center couch, speaking for the first time in a while, voice imitating that of an uncivilized caveman.

"Shut up, Damon." Elena growls out in response, still very much furious with the man.

Damon fumes at his sister-in-law, but doesn't push matters further. He's in the doghouse and he knows it.

"Someone doesn't like Jackson…" Katherine speaks up, voice taking on a thoughtful tone. "I wonder why?" she says, but doesn't get an answer to her question because, as if on cue…

"_**I know what the Sorcerer's weakness is!!" **_

Jackson Gutierrez bursts into the cabin, out of breath and sweating slightly, a huge, triumphant grin on his face.

"Hello biceps." Katherine greets, whistling appreciatively as she eyes the muscular Latino with interest.

The tall man arches a curious eyebrow at "Elena's" strange greeting before his eyes land on somebody else in the room.

"Bonnie!" Jackson exclaims breathily and happily.

"Jackson!" Bonnie echoes before yelping as her feet leave the ground and she finds herself being twirled around by her strong fiancé.

"Thank God you're safe." The vampire says quietly, gently setting Bonnie back onto the ground and looking down into her beautiful green eyes. "I was practically driving myself crazy worrying about you." He tells her before capturing her lips in a brief yet fiery kiss.

"_**This**_ is Jackson?!" Katherine sputters, bringing a hand up to her mouth as she laughs obnoxiously. "Oh this is _**rich!**_ He's her _**boyfriend?!**_ _**Bonnie's**_ boyfriend!" she exclaims before laughing airily and looking over at Damon with amused eyes. "Looks like you've got yourself some competition." She grins before directing her attention back to Jackson whom looks like he's about ready to jump Bonnie's bones right in front of them all. "Good looking couple too." She remarks, smiling in satisfaction as she watches Damon's hands clench into painfully tight fists in response.

"Shut up" the vampire growls out dangerously, eyes never leaving the adoring couple across the room.

Katherine, whom is enjoying the situation way too much, merely smiles tauntingly in response before her smile turns into an all out exhilarated grin at the sight of Jackson enthusiastically reclaiming Bonnie's lips, a low growl escaping the Latino's throat as he does so.

This kiss is even fierier than the first, way fierier in fact. Jackson's arms are wrapped tightly and possessively around Bonnie's waist, his mouth claiming hers, and his tongue moving around in its warmth.

Bonnie, whom was pretty much caught off guard, has her hands resting against Jax's strong chest, seeing as they're trapped there, but she responds to the surprise kiss wholeheartedly. Hot, is the perfect word to describe this kiss. Very hot.

"Whoo! **PDA** at its _**best!**_" Katherine grins, thoroughly entertained and enthralled by the sight before her. "Somebody open up a window cause it is _**hot!!**_" she exclaims, before looking over at Damon, ready and excited to take complete advantage of the perfect teasing moment that's been presented to her. But the look on Damon's face actually makes the ruthless vampire queen think twice about speaking.

Damon looks absolutely murderous. His nostrils are flared, mouth a thin, frigid line; and Katherine swears she can see vampiric veins underneath his dangerously narrowed eyes.

She decides to save her jokes for later…for now.

Damon is absolutely furious. He's seeing red, and all he wants to do is _**kill**_ Jackson, brutally _**murder**_ the man. After all these years Damon's still very much a jealous, possessive monster when it comes to Bonnie.

He cannot _**stand**_ the sight of the other man's arms wrapped around her waist, and is literally in _**pain**_ from restraining himself from tearing the guy off of her. How dare he kiss _**his**_ witch like this! Damon feels absolutely insane, wants to go crazy, tear the room apart, tear the _**house **_apart, tear _**Jackson**_ apart! He wants to do something so badly and is in utter _**agony**_ from forcing himself to stay still.

He swears he's never been so angry in his life, never felt so _**helpless**_ in his life. He feels absolutely, overwhelmingly jealous and possessive of Bonnie right now, and she's not even rightfully _**his.**_ That's the worst part. He can't morally do any thing about the kiss that is taking place because Bonnie is not _**his.**_ She's…that other guy's…

Damon cannot _**stand**_ Bonnie being with another man. He really can't. He's tolerated it up until this moment but now he's at his wits end. He would tear the two apart and brutally kick the Latino's ass right then and there, if it were up to him and if he knew Bonnie wouldn't be royally pissed at him for doing so. But she would be, and he knows it. So he just watches, with barely controlled fury, he watches them kiss. But he can't _**stand**_ it. He can't stand his Bonnie being with anyone but him.

"Ahem" Stefan clears his throat awkwardly, successfully getting the attention of and breaking apart the kissing couple; and all Damon can think is, _about __**fucking**__ time._

Bonnie and Jackson both direct sheepish looks to all of the occupants of the room before Bonnie looks down at her shoes in embarrassment, wiping off her moist lips with the pad of her thumb.

"Haven't seen her in a day Stef, you understand." Jackson says, seemingly not nearly as embarrassed about the situation as Bonnie is.

Even though he's standing, Damon's knee starts to bounce as he struggles to remain where he is and not pumble the other vampire, who seems to be growing increasingly annoying by the second. _Cocky ass._

Elena smiles politely yet awkwardly in response. Although she's extremely…_**extremely**_ pissed with Damon. She still wants Bonnie to be with him.

Katherine eyes the muscular vampire with unadulterated interest, and lust. Nothing turned her on more than a strong, good looking man. And this man was both. Plus he seemed to be somewhat cocky, and she being a cocky woman, definitely had a weakness for that type of _**man…**_

It was pretty safe to say that the Latino had found an _**enemy**_ in JP, whom had a crush on Bonnie, but was still first and foremost rooting for his friend to be with her.

But Stefan. Stefan is more understanding. But still…

"Yes, of course." The youngest Salvatore nods, from his spot at the front of the room, his forehead creased slightly. "But what were you saying about the Gin Sorcerer?" he questions, face concerned and eager.

"Oh right!" Jackson exclaims, reprimanding himself for forgetting so quickly. Bonnie had that affect on you…He moves to speak again when his eyes land on Elena and his face scrunches up in confusion as he looks back and forth from her to Katherine. "Wait a minute…" the vampire says, trailing off.

"This is Katherine, Damon's ex." Stefan rushes out.

"Remember? The one I was telling you about?" Bonnie adds.

"Wait. The one he left –

"Yeah" Stefan interrupts, face intent and practically screaming for Jackson to continue with his story.

"Oh. Okay…well…nice to meet you." The Latino says hesitantly, still eyeing the female vampire with confused eyes.

"The pleasure's mine." Katherine replies seductively, smiling wickedly at Jackson who in turn frowns and arches a confused eyebrow.

"Why is she –

"Why is she here? We'll explain later." Stefan interrupts, fixing Jackson with a stern look. "Please tell us what you know." He begs.

"Well first I had a dream about it." the Latino informs, before taking in the surprised and contemplative looks around the room. "It was so real, almost like a vision." He tells them.

"What happened, baby?" Bonnie asks, sitting down on the couch adjacent to the center couch and across from Damon, eyes concerned and interested, as she pulls Jackson down to sit with her.

"Well, every thing was dark, like pitch black." Jackson tells her, before refocusing his attention on the other occupants of the room. "And I was there, but I wasn't _**really**_ there; I was watching it all play out, you know? he asks.

"Yeah, an observing dream. I have them all the time." Elena puts in, nodding in understanding, from her spot beside her husband. "Like you're watching a movie, right? Sometimes you even watch yourself." She says.

"Exactly" Jackson smiles, happy at the prospect that somebody knew what he was talking about. "Except I wasn't watching myself." He informs. "Everything was dark, pitch black; I couldn't see a thing. But the entire time I knew something was there with me, something bad." He slowly informs them, an eerie look on his face.

"Dun dun dun." Katherine interrupts, eyes widened in mocked dramatics.

"Stop Kat, this is serious." JP reprimands, from his spot beside the brunette on the couch, fixing her with a distasteful frown.

Katherine rolls her eyes, in bored annoyance, in reply, and sighs heavily when Jackson continues.

"I'm not sure if it was _**him**_, but all of a sudden this huge, cloaked figure became visible in the darkness."

"That was him." Bonnie interrupts, face and voice adamant. "He was wearing a cloak in my vision as well." She informs the room, a worried look on her face.

Jackson nods thoughtfully at the confirmation.

"He was chanting something, some kind of spell." He tells them. "His voice was all raspy and demonic-like."

"You must learn the ways of the force, Luke." Katherine promptly interjects, doing a "Star Wars" Yoda impression and in turn receiving annoyed glares from everyone in the room.

"What?!" the vampire scoffs incredulously. "Yoda did have a weird voice!" she insists, laughing slightly at the thought of her previous impression.

"Please - act your age for once." JP bites out, glaring angrily at her.

Katherine crosses her arms over her chest and frowns deeply at the reprimanding tone of her friend's voice. _What a bunch of stiffs…_

"I didn't know what he was saying, but I knew I had to stop him." Jax says, an intense expression on his face as everyone looks on with concern. And all Katherine can think is, _These people can't be serious. I swear I'm watching some over-dramatized Soap Opera._

"I kept shouting for him to stop, kept trying to break into my dream so I could fight him, so I could do _**something**_, but I couldn't move. It was like I was paralyzed." The Latino continues.

"His voice kept getting louder and louder as he chanted, and I kept shouting and fighting to break into my dream when suddenly, at what seemed to be the climax of his spell, a single bolt of lightning struck him." Jackson says, his voice building up and getting louder before settling and calming down at the end. "It didn't stop him, just faltered his speech. But before he could start chanting again, a fleet of lightening bolts struck him and he fell…dead." He finishes, eyes bright and somewhat smiling at the outcome of his dream.

"So his weakness is lightening?" Bonnie asks.

"Yeah" Jackson nods the affirmative before turning his attention to his fiancé. "I wasn't sure at first, I mean it was just a dream, how reliable are they?" he tells her, words rushing off as his excitement grows. "But then when I went hunting – that's why I went hunting by the way, to think about the dream." He tells Elena, and she nods in realization. "But any ways, as I was hunting, I remembered something," he informs, and the group looks on with unyielding interest. "A strange riddle I found in my pocket about two years ago…around the time where we started dating actually." He tells Bonnie and the witch is momentarily reminded of her sleeping son, who loves riddles. It was almost fitting that a riddle help discover the way to protect him... "It was a riddle written on a small slip of paper. I'd found it in my pocket and read it, but it didn't make any since, that is until today." He smiles excitedly. "I kept it all these years because on the back of the note it said to, said that it would all make since in time." he informs before reaching into his wallet and retrieving a small slip of paper.

Stefan moves over towards the vampire and Jackson hands him the paper with a fancy looking handwriting on it that says:

"**When the evil one seeks out the lad and you find the danger heightening,**

**Know that the key to defeating him is lots and lots of lightening"**

Stefan reads the words aloud before realization dons his features.

"Who gave that to you?" Damon demands from across the room, a deep, concerned frown on his face.

"I honestly don't know." Jackson answers truthfully. "I just found it in my pocket."

"Well this sucks." Stefan says quietly, after a few moments of silence, as he hands the riddle back to Jackson. The occupants of the room all look at him confusedly because as far as they're concerned this is very _**good**_ news. They now know how to defeat the Sorcerer! "The only one who can produce lightening is Bonnie." Stefan informs, directing a concerned look at the green-eyed woman who was like a sister to him.

"What?" Elena questions.

"No way" Damon immediately objects, shaking his head vehemently.

"So it's up to me." Bonnie says slowly, face thoughtful and solemn.

"Yeah, babe. Seems like it." Jackson says, placing a hand on her back and rubbing consolingly.

"Well, in that case, you guys should really start praying to the heavens." Katherine inputs, smiling tauntingly at the group.

"For your information, Bonnie is one of the most _**powerful**_ witches of this century." Jackson quickly returns defensively, frowning distastefully at the brunette as his hand stills on Bonnie's back. "She's one of the strongest, smartest, _**and**_ most powerful; she can take this guy out easily." He knowingly speaks, glaring slightly at Katherine and smiling when he feels Bonnie wrap an arm around his waist and squeeze him slightly and catches sight of her appreciative smile.

"Regular old Hermione Granger, huh?" Katherine quips, interrupting the nice moment and directing a shit-eating grin at the Latino.

"Yeah" the male vampire quickly returns, directing a sharp glare at her as he wraps the hand on Bonnie's back around her lower back.

Katherine seems to decide to back down, at his obvious defensive state.

"Touchy" the hazel-eyed beauty mumbles to herself before taking interest an in her finger nails.

"I wonder if Em's Grimoire has a powerful lightening spell in it?" Bonnie questions aloud, emerging from the couch and moving towards the corner near the front door of the room, where she'd dropped her coach bag.

"Couldn't you just make up your own?" Elena questions, simultaneously sliding the center coffee table back towards Stefan, the flow of information giving her the urge to sit.

"She can make up spells?" Katherine scoffs indignantly, looking up from her nails.

"Yeah." Jackson answers matter-of-factly. "She's powerful like that." He grins boastfully, earning a humorless glare from the vampire queen.

"She could," Stefan speaks softly, in reference to his girlfriend's previous question. "But Emily's would be stronger since it's older and more practiced." He explains as Bonnie makes her way back over to the couch with the book.

Elena slowly nods her head in understanding, sitting down on the strong, marble coffee table; and Stefan sits down beside her and wraps a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"Why is it so loud in here?" a little voice, penetrates the hearing of the adults and they all look towards the hallway to see a tired looking Gabriel emerge, tiredly rubbing his eyes. "Mommy!!" the young boy loudly exclaims, a bright grin overcoming his features as he catches sight of Bonnie.

"Gabriel!" Bonnie echoes happiness flooding her heart as her son runs towards her.

She grins widely, placing the Grimiore on the floor and opening her arms just in time to have the small boy throw himself into them.

"I missed you." Gabriel says quietly, hugging Bonnie tightly and rubbing her back slightly, a habit he'd acquired from her.

"I missed you more." Bonnie smiles, squeezing her son happily and moving back to place a soft kiss on his cheek.

"No you didn't! You couldn't have!!" Gabriel exclaims, giggling at his mother's words.

"Well isn't that cute, a momma's boy." Katherine mocks, face taunting as she eyes the mother and son.

At the sound of the condescending voice, Gabriel looks up at Katherine, immediately knowing that the woman is not his Aunt Elena, immediately distinguishing the differences like most kids have the gift of doing. However he does not question the identity of this new person because his eyes land on another figure.

"Dad!" Gabriel exclaims excitedly, bright grin returning to his face as he leaves his mother's arms and jumps into his fathers.

Damon scoops Gabriel off of the ground and hugs him tightly.

"How you doin, little man?!" he grins, overwhelmed and shocked by the happiness he feels at seeing his son and being greeted so enthusiastically.

"I'm great now, dad!" the smart little boy replies.

Katherine watches the encounter, slack jawed and bug-eyed. Damon wants to laugh at the reaction, but settles for sending a taunting grin to the confused woman.

"Da – _**what?!**_" the brunette exclaims loudly.

"This is _**YOUR**_ son?! Your son with _**her?!**_ How is that even possible?! _**You can't have kids!!"**_ Katherine yells in one breath, face shocked and appalled.

"I know." Damon answers simply, smirking at the hazel-eyed woman as he places Gabriel back down onto the ground to return to his mother. But he doesn't move, just stands in front of his father as the adults continue.

"Lucky SOB." Stefan smirks over at his brother, in reply to Damon's previous words. "Lane and I have been trying for years." He tells JP.

"It'll happen somehow." Damon says, nodding reassuringly.

Stefan just smiles in return.

"Gabe was an absolute miracle." Damon tells Katherine and JP, face serious and thoughtful, as he absentmindedly lightly places his hands on his son's shoulders.

"Never heard of any thing like it in all of my years…" JP says in awe and Bonnie smiles widely.

"I figure he's here for a reason…even if it's only to warm my heart." She says softly, smiling over at Gabriel whom is still standing in front of his father, looking unusually bashful to be the topic of conversation.

"Well isn't that sweet?" Katherine speaks up, voice condescending and mocking. "A vampire-witch hybrid…I'm sure his life will be peaches and cream." She says, grinning menacingly at the thought of all of the Supernaturals who'd be interested in "meeting" such a strong and powerful child, especially since he was the only one of his kind.

"Well life isn't easy for _**anyone,**_" Elena gently interjects, gently because of her present nephew. "But I'm sure he'll be fine. Besides, he's got two strong parents to look out for him." She says, beaming over at Gabriel, who blushes slightly and smiles in return.

"Pfft." Katherine scoffs. "Leave it to Damon to do something stupid like have a brat with some witch." She spits disgustedly, rolling her eyes.

The mood of the room changes drastically, as all of the adults glare angrily at the female vampire, and Bonnie looks absolutely livid. The witch's blood boils at the cruel words.

"Call my son a brat again, and I'll put a curse on you so strong that your ancestors will feel it." the green-eyed woman says, nostrils flared, and eyes momentarily flashing dangerously.

The vampire's eyes narrow slightly, as she seemingly gauges the weight of Bonnie's threat, before directing an angry/incredulous look at Damon.

Damon frowns at the look that clearly says, "You should've defended me!" _She can't be serious. _

"She will." Damon deadpans, nodding seriously, fully backing Bonnie up. "And nobody's going to stop her." He informs. _**"So don't - talk badly - about our son."**_ He bites this last part out, his own eyes flashing dangerously as he does so.

Katherine scowls slightly at this, eyes glaring angrily at Damon who in turn just looks blankly back at her. Elena fights to hide an oncoming smile at Katherine's "less than satisfactory" response from Damon, and everyone else just looks away awkwardly.

"Ahem" Stefan finally clears his throat, breaking into the silence. "On that note," he says with finality, slapping his lap and emerging from the coffee table. "Why don't we call it a night?" he asks, looking around at his peers. "It's awfully late and I know everyone's tired." He says, shooting a discreet look at Katherine, which makes Elena giggle in response and Stefan smirk at the sound of his wife's laugh. The vampire queen seems to caught up in her thoughts to notice. "In the morning we'll get a new start, training for the upcoming fight and helping Bonnie find and perfect this lightening spell." He informs the room, face now serious and business-like again.

Damon nods his head in agreement and Bonnie smiles a small smile at Stefan and nods her head.

"Alright" she says. It's about time she sent Gabriel back to dreamland anyways.

"I am tired." Elena echoes.

"Me too." Katherine breaks in, yawning dramatically, apparently awoken from her thoughts. "I need my beauty rest." She informs the room before emerging from the couch and making her way over to the hallway and everyone silently watches, not exactly sad at her departure.

Before disappearing down the hall, the brunette turns around on her heel, a sly smirk in place as she directs a pointed look at Damon.

"Come to bed when you're ready to sleep…or do other things…" she says, trailing off meaningfully and winking at him before turning abruptly and disappearing down the hall.

JP takes his leave as well but not before kissing Bonnie on the hand once more and telling her how _**very**_ nice it was to have met her. After the older man's farewells are made, he disappears outside with Damon to talk about something.

Jackson kisses Bonnie on the cheek before disappearing into the cabin's single bathroom to brush his teeth, and Stefan kisses Elena before excusing himself to search for a much needed meal.

Elena takes a seat next to Bonnie on the couch where the two proceed to have a hushed conversation about the upcoming day and the training that will take place when -

"Who was that lady?" a small voice interrupts, and both women look up to see Gabriel standing before them, looking down the hallway and pointing in said direction.

Elena scoffs in realization of the topic of her nephew's question, rolling her eyes in annoyance at the mere thought of the infuriating woman.

"A bi –

"A friend of your dad's." Bonnie quickly interrupts her best friend, sending a reprimanding, though slightly amused glare at the woman.

"Why does she look like you, Aunt Lane?" Gabriel asks curiously, staring in confusion at his Aunt.

"She stole my face." Elena answers matter-of-factly, and Bonnie chuckles in response to her friend's quick and witty reply.

"Oh" the young boy says, nodding his head slowly in deep thought. "She must not be too nice then." He concludes, face scrunched up in an adorably apprehensive way.

"No, she's not." Elena replies, smiling slightly at the serious look on the blue-eyed boy's face.

Bonnie smiles as well before reaching over and running a hand over her son's curls, gaining his attention.

"Bed" she says firmly, fixing Gabriel with a stern stare.

The little boy in turn frowns deeply at his mother's words and pouts slightly.

"Uh uhn, you're not getting out of it." Bonnie says, already shaking her head at the boy's unasked question, before rising off of the couch and softly grabbing his hand. "c'mon." she says, smiling down warmly at him.

Gabriel sighs quietly in defeat before nodding his head at his mother.

"Oh no you don't."

The trio looks up to see Jackson re-enter the room and swiftly make his way over to them before gently separating the mother and son's hands and gently pushing Bonnie back down onto the sofa. "I'll put this little guy to bed." He announces, smiling down at Bonnie and fixing her with a stern look. "You go take a nice, hot shower. You've earned it." he instructs, before bringing up an authorative finger. "Come straight to bed when you're through." He firmly tells her, and she smiles in turn.

"Yes sir." She says softly with a mock salute, and Jackson grins.

"But I don't want to go to bed, Jax! I just woke up!!" Gabriel argues, and Jackson fixes him with a sympathetic gaze.

"That's too bad champ cause everyone is going to be asleep except you." He informs, shaking his head with deep sadness. "It's no fun being awake by yourself." He says, sighing dramatically.

"He's right, Gabe." Elena echoes. "_**Everyone's**_ going to sleep." The Aunt informs in a sorrowful tone. "See, I'm going now…" she announces, emerging from the couch and disappearing down the hall with a "goodnight" to everyone.

Gabriel watches his Aunt's exit before looking up at Jackson with a solemn look.

"Okay" he nods, before all three of them look up, at the sound of the door closing, to see Damon the cabin and close the door behind him.

"Goodnight Mom." Gabriel says, hugging Bonnie tightly and kissing her on the cheek before running over to Damon. "Goodnight Dad." he says, and Damon silently bends down and hugs his son, eyebrows furrowed in thought all the while.

"Good night Gabe." He says quietly before coming to stand straight once more.

"I love you." Bonnie echoes.

"Love you too." Gabriel replies before walking over to an expressionless Jackson whom also seems to be in deep thought, but awakens once he lays eyes on the small awaiting boy.

"C'mon little vamp!" he grins warmly before swiftly pulling a surprised Gabriel onto his back. "You've got a big day ahead of you and you're going to need lots of sleep!" He says before galloping off with Gabriel on his back laughing and whooping the entire time.

Bonnie smiles, as she watches Jackson and Gabriel disappear down the small hall of the cabin, before sighing and emerging from the couch to return Emily's Grimiore to her purse and catch that hot shower that was calling out to her.

She and Damon are now in the room alone, and she chooses to ignore his presence with intentions to leave the room as quickly as possible.

Bonnie makes it an entire _**three**_ steps away from the couch before she feels the vampire's hand lace around her arm, holding her firmly, halting her in her place. She really can't say she wasn't expecting it. Doesn't mean she was looking forward to it…

The little witch sighs heavily before turning around and directing a wary, questioning gaze at her ex.

"I don't like this, Bonnie." Damon says at her look, face serious and eyes intent.

Bonnie doesn't need to ask what "this" is. She knows, and for a moment Bonnie is actually shocked silent by the concern in his face and voice. She'd forgotten how protective and caring Damon could be, especially when it came to her.

She allows his worry to warm her heart for a millisecond before her mind comes crashing back down to reality and she's reminded of the woman who is less than 50 feet away from her, waiting in bed for her _**caring**_ ex.

"Yeah, well. There's going to be plenty of things in life that you don't _**like.**_ I'm sure you know this better than anyone since you've been living it so long." The witch spits, directing an aggravated glare at Damon, inwardly berating herself for her momentary silence and trip down memory lane.

She's still angry at him, it's obvious. Damon knows it, and he hates it. He hates it when Bonnie's upset with him; but the fear, he feels for her, by far outweighs the frustration and sadness he feels at her angry state.

"So basically you're the only one who can beat this guy?" the vampire sighs, biting the inside of his mouth and absentmindedly tightening his hold on her arm.

"Appears that way…" Bonnie replies, looking down at the ground, eager to avoid Damon's purpose driven, passionate orbs.

"Damn it!" the vampire exclaims loudly, finally releasing Bonnie's arm simultaneously. "I hate this." He grounds out, before angrily running both of his hands through his hair before clenching them into tight fists.

"Well I'm not exactly ecstatic about it., but that doesn't change the fact that it's up to me." Bonnie tells Damon, ignoring the way her heart clenches at his angry, worked up, and worried state. "I'll do whatever it takes. I'm not going to let any thing happen to my son." She tells him firmly, speaking more to herself than him because Bonnie is afraid as well. In fact, she'd much rather appreciate him boosting her up and exuding confidence in her instead of acting so scared. He wasn't helping the situation at all!

"Neither am I." Damon says in reply to Bonnie's previous statement.

Bonnie can tell by the look in his eyes that he is sincere, and _**that's**_ a comfort at least, to know that both of them will be fighting fiercely for their son.

The small witch nods her head slowly and thoughtfully in response to Damon's words before turning on her heel. It's been a long and…well _**painful**_ day and Bonnie wants nothing more than to take a shower and go to sleep. But just as before, Damon catches her arm, halting her movements.

_He's really got to stop that._

"Hey. Talk to me, please."

Bonnie hears Damon's hushed voice before she can even turn around and ask what he wants. It's gentle, pleading and it honestly makes her angry because after every thing he's put her through tonight, he should really not be speaking to her in such an endearing manner.

"Isn't that what we just did?" she throws back, turning to fix him with a frustrated look and a perfectly arched eyebrow.

"You know what I mean." Damon says, face solemn and calm, seemingly unaffected by her harsh tone. "Let me explain about Katherine; it's not what you think." He tells her, blue eyes pleading with her green.

"No thanks." Bonnie quickly declines before shaking her head in shame of the hurt tone of her voice. "You know it doesn't even matter." She tells him eyes shining intensely as she's hit with realization. "I'm in love with Jackson. I would be _**with**_ _**HIM**_ regardless, Katherine or no Katherine."

"But it's not what you think, Bonnie." Damon objects.

"I honestly don't care." The witch echoes with force.

"Yes, you do." Damon tells her, eyes darkening as he furiously stares her down. "It's written all over your face." He says, voice adamant and determined.

His words seem to temporarily silence the green-eyed woman and he decides to take advantage of the moment.

"Bonnie." He starts, voice gentler with a lot less some of its previous edge. "Please. Just let me explain." He pleads, eyes softening and boring into hers.

"There's _**nothing**_ to explain." Bonnie softly says, before clenching her jaw tightly willing herself to hate the blue eyed man before her.

"There is." Damon assures, face determined. "Gosh there's so much you don't know, if only you'd just let me –

"I really don't want to hear the sordid _**details**_ of your relationship with Katherine." The beautiful witch bites out, hating the jealousy that floods her heart as she utters the sentence.

"She means _**nothing**_ to me." Damon says firmly, face serious and begging for her to believe him.

Bonnie just stares at him, taking in his intense eyes and his face, her own face expressionless. He's looking straight into her eyes, he just looks so determined, he sounds so sincere. She wants to believe him, she just can't.

"Hey." Before Bonnie can even think up a reply to Damon's words, Jackson enters the room, glaring Damon down and coming to stand next to Bonnie, body tense and defensive. "Bonnie just _**said**_ she didn't want to hear you. Why don't you just take a hint." He tells Damon.

Damon's blood boils at the presence of vampire. His temperature rises at the protective stance the Latino has taken on. He's livid. How dare this idiot interrupt his conversation with Bonnie! But instead of turning his attention to Jackson, instead of pounding the other vampire to a bloody pulp; he grits his teeth and ignores him.

"She's a manipulator, Bon, remember? You know this." He tells Bonnie, looking intently into her green orbs, ignoring Jackson and acting as if the other man is not even in the room, as if he had not spoken at _**all.**_ "I was with her a little while after I found her, but not after that, not anymore." He finishes, eyes boring into Bonnie's as he wills her to believe him.

But apparently Jackson has other plans and apparently the Latino does not like being ignored.

"Maybe you didn't hear me –

"Listen El _**geeko **_–

"No you listen!" the Latino exclaims, glaring angrily at Damon, who smirks in turn, amused by the other man and his attempt to quiet _**him**_, _**HIM, Damon Salvatore!**_ Ha! But Damon decides to actually hear the guy out. Heck he could use a good laugh right about now!

"Bonnie is _**my**_ girlfriend, my _**fiancé**_ in fact, in case you've forgotten." Jackson continues, moving closer to Damon and coming to stand somewhat in front of Bonnie. "You guys may have shared something in the past, but that's over now. She's moved on…with _**me.**_" The vampire finishes.

Intense anger courses through Damon's veins at the man's possessive statements.

"I wasn't aware that Bonnie couldn't speak for herself." The older vampire bites out lowly through tightly clenched teeth.

"Well when someone is incapable of comprehending –

"I will kick your _**fuckin ass**_ you giant _**steroid.**_" Damon growls out, completely through with being _**calm **_and playing nice. He wanted to hurt this guy, seriously and brutally hurt this guy and he no longer cared that Bonnie would be angry with him; he _**needed**_ to hurt this guy because he seriously thought that he could just sweep into Bonnie's life and take his place, he seriously thought that he could replace Damon's place in Bonnie's heart. _Well think again, punk! No one will ever take my fuckin place, you better know __**that!**_

The Latino vampire's eyes darken at Damon's challenging words and he huffs, and Damon snarls furiously in return.

"Let's take this outside then." Jackson says, grinning darkly at Damon and taking a step forward, and Damon is practically grinning inside at the words.

"Jackson, don't." Bonnie's firm voice interjects as she places a soft halting hand on her fiance's forearm. "Let's just go to bed." She says softly.

A livid Jackson, whose chest is heaving from the anger he feels for Damon, looks down at Bonnie. Her beautiful eyes are pleading with him, and he feels her hand tighten around his strong arm.

"Please" she whispers quietly. "Let's just go to bed, Jax."

Damon's heart clenches at the motion and breaks a little at the look in Bonnie's eyes and the unyielding concern she has for the other man.

Jackson's eyes soften as he looks down at Bonnie and after a few seconds he sighs, nodding comfortingly at the petite woman before him, and wrapping a possessive arm around her shoulder. He places a deep kiss on her temple, glaring darkly Damon at Damon all the while, before turning on his heel and leading Bonnie towards the dark hallway of the cabin.

The sadness Damon feels, quickly turns into fury as he vows to himself that he will kick Jackson's ass before this is over. He knows that hate is a strong word, and he hasn't hated anyone since Bonnie'd taught him how to love, but he absolutely _**hates**_ Jackson Gutierrez. He hates him with a passion.

Damon's eyes zero in on Jackson's possessive arm wrapped around _**his**_ Bonnie and the vampire swears that he will absolutely explode from unrelieved anger and longing if he has to watch this much longer. He will absolutely explode or _**implode!!**_ He cannot _**stand**_ the sight of Bonnie being with this other man!!!

Damon's hands clench into painfully tight fists as he watches the retreating couple, and then, before they disappear down the hallway, the stupid son of a bitch has the nerve to turn around and speak.

"You're lucky." He tells Damon, eyes fierce and face serious, and instead of Damon offering a sarcastic, "Oh thank heavens," he bites out an angry, "Shut the fuck up," before storming out of the house.

**Author's note:**** Sorry I had to end it there! Part 2 will pick up right where things left off!...Thank you guys so very much for reading !! I hope I did not disappoint with this chapter too much. I apologize for any mistake; I hope there weren't too many!! I didn't proofread much at ALL!! Just really wanted to post!!! **

**You guys are so amazing to me, you just blow my mind with your reviews and love and dedication for this story and I just truly appreciate it. Thank you so much for that. I really appreciated the reviews I received for the "fake" chapter. It just really showed me once again, how amazing you guys are. Just wonderful! Please review for this and let me know what you thought, even if you have to leave an unsigned review, please let me know what you thought!! Also there is an AMAZING story that you guys have GOT to read!! It's a crossover, the first one I've read but it's amazing!! Vampire Diaries/ Supernatural! Bamon's not the canon couple, (it's Bonnie and Dean from Supernatural) but their actually in it quite a bit!! Check it out please, here's the link: **

**.net/s/5631502/1/Salvation_Temptation**

**And please leave the author some reviews. She does such an amazing job with the story and has gotten virtually NO feedback!! Please review for her and tell her how amazing her story is so that she will update! Thanks bunches guys, I really do love you all so much! God bless!! **

**WORDS OF WISDOM FOR THE WEEK: ****Try not to focus on the weaknesses of others. Focus on their strengths and expound upon them. We're all different but we can always find common grounds. Different does not mean bad. Focus on their strengths and yours as well. Don't be negative, it's way to easy; do the hard thing, be positive! God bless!!**


	8. Chapter 7 Part 2

**Author's note:**** Well! This was WAY harder than I'd anticipated!! I actually ended up having to split it so there's sadly going to be a Chapter 7, Part 3! **** I know! SO sorry, but I really wanted to give you guys an update this week, you deserve it, AND the chapter was going to be too long anyhow!! So this Chapter will only be a good 6,000 words instead of the regular 10,000 you're accustomed to. Hope you guys don't hate me too much for that. I really am sorry…Any how, I won't talk too long, please read my closing author's note, and enjoy!!**

**Chapter 7 Part 2**

_You loved me 'cause I'm fragile_

_When I thought that I was strong_

_But you touch me for a little while_

_And all my fragile strength is gone_

_Set me free _

_leave me be_

_I don't wanna fall another moment into your gravity_

_Here I am_

_And I stand_

_So tall just the way I'm supposed to be_

_But you're onto me_

_And all over me_

"You've got to be kidding me. Please change the station, Lane." Bonnie groans at the sound of the haunting song on the English radio station her friend has taken nearly five minutes to find.

Yes Sara Barilles had a voice from the heavens, but Bonnie really couldn't take much more of her song. It had been bad enough when "Gravity" had been stuck in her head; now it was wreaking its havoc on her via _**RADIO?!**_ Super. Just super…

As if she needed a _**verbal**_ reminder of how powerless she seemed to be when it came to fighting off Damon Salvatore and her love for him! As if she _**needed**_ to be reminded that "Gravity" was practically written _**especially**_ for _**her**_ and depicted the very essence of her relationship with Damon!

Apparently _**someone**_ felt that she, in fact, _**did**_ need to be reminded of this, and _**constantly**_ at that!!

"You're joking, right? This song is freakin amazing." Elena says in response to Bonnie's plea, turning around and looking down at her seated friend as if the other girl has just eaten glue, completely thrown off her sudden aggravated demeanor.

"Please, Elena." The witch says firmly in reply, eyes shut and fingers massaging her temples as she does so.

The brunette's curiosity and concern goes up a notch at the sight of Bonnie's obvious bother and agitation, but she knows her friend well enough to know, merely based on body language, that now is not the time to question the source to her sudden change of mood. So Elena wordlessly reaches over from her spot at the countertop next to the kitchen sink and completely turns off the radio.

The two listen instead to the rhythmic and airy melodies of the birds outside mixed in with the other peculiar and unidentified outdoor sounds of nature.

Elena pauses momentarily in her current task and gazes out of the window before her, the window directly above the sink. She sighs as she takes in the sight of the woods. It looks extremely breath-taking during the day. The trees are all beautiful and green, unlike the ones in America that are dead at the moment; it's as if Italy is unaware that it is January. The sun is shining brightly, casting a majestic glow on it all. It's simply beautiful, calming, soothing even.

It's just what Elena needs, just what _**Bonnie**_ needs, just what they all need. After a long and stressful journey, they are finally safe, finally know how to fight the dangerous foe they are facing, and finally able to look upon a new day, a glorious day that will hopefully erase or at least ease the pain and sorrow from the previous one.

As the brown-eyed woman gazes out of the window, she is reminded of the two silhouettes she'd watched moments ago, from this very spot, disappear into the depths of the forest.

"So Gabriel seems to have really hit things off with Damon…" Elena muses aloud to Bonnie, thinking about the father-son duo that'd left the Cabin approximately 45 minutes ago to "hang out."

Bonnie pauses momentarily, staring at the back of her friend, as her thoughts travel to her son and his Father.

"Yeah" she agrees, voice thoughtful as she does so. "Damon's seemingly slipped right into Father-mode with ease…I'm not sure how I feel about it…" the witch admits, eyes staring off into space.

"Feel good." Elena sighs, turning around, leaning her back against the sink, and staring into her friend's green orbs. "No Father's perfect, but at least Damon's trying. It's good that they have a relationship."

"I don't know…" Bonnie returns, face wary as she re-establishes her task of peeling and slicing potatoes.

Elena takes her cue and also turns back to the big bowl on the counter top and adds more sliced cheese, salt, and pepper, to the raw egg yolks in the bowl.

The two women are preparing a late breakfast, a huge hearty breakfast; Lord knows they can with all the food JP had stocked the house with! Eggs, Grits, Bacon, Toast, Sausage, Ham, French Toast, Hash browns, and fresh fruit was on the menu, and with the two besties preparing it, it was sure to be delicious.

"Well Gabriel adores him and wants to spend time with him. This is a good thing, Bonnie. He should have a Father in his life...his real father." Elena picks up the conversation, briefly turning around and flashing a reassuring smile at her friend, before re-focusing on the food before her.

"You're probably right." Bonnie softly returns after a few moments of thoughtful silence.

"Of course I am! So don't worry!" Elena giggles. "The only thing you have to worry about is Damon teaching Gabe compulsion." The brunette jokes as an afterthought.

"I'll kick his ass if he does." Bonnie echoes, though there's a smile on her face and a familiar twinkle in her eyes at her friend's joke.

Elena giggles in reply to her friend's words before her smile disappears, at the thought of another vampire, and is replaced by a distasteful frown.

"Speaking of kicking ass," the brunette starts. "Can you believe what a major…_**witch – **_

"Uh uhn! Don't call her my kind! That woman is definitely _**not**_ a witch!!" Bonnie interrupts, staring incredulously, and with heightened dramatics, at her friend.

"Well, she's something else isn't she?!" Elena attempts, laughing all the while at Bonnie's dramatic but understandable response to her less than brilliant choice of words.

"Way worst than Stefan described." Bonnie says in agreement to Elena's previous statement/question.

"She's a selfish, narcissistic, manipulative old hag." Elena clarifies, happy to finally voice her opinion of the female vamp to her best friend. She'd been waiting practically all night and morning to do so!

"Lane!" Bonnie exclaims with faux disdain, facial expression immensely appalled.

"What? She is a hag!" Elena laughs heartily at Bonnie's dramatic antics.

"She's a bitch." Bonnie corrects, directing a smirk at her best friend that reminds the brunette of the witch's ex. Elena smiles thoughtfully at the realization.

"Touche" she returns, smiling all the while. "Damon would have to be out of his damn mind to actually want her." The brunette adds, wondering how in the world _**any**_ man, let alone Damon Salvatore, could want to be with such a woman.

"And who are we talking about?" a deep, gentle voice invades the two women's conversation, just as Bonnie was about to offer a sarcastic reply.

Both Elena and Bonnie look up to see the amused smile and twinkling eyes of Stefan Salvatore, standing in the archway that separates living room and kitchen. "Morning ladies" The man greets, before entering the kitchen.

"Stefan" the best friend's greet evenly, smiling warmly at the vampire.

"Just talking about your brother's…_**companion.**_" Elena dryly answers Stefan's previous question.

"Katherine" Stefan sighs heavily, nodding his head in understanding. "Yeah she's a real piece of work, huh?" he says thoughtfully before walking over to Elena and kissing her on the cheek. "She's actually gotten worst I think..." He muses to himself, hand lingering on Elena's waist momentarily before he breaks away from her and takes a seat at the head of the nicely sized kitchen table, chair leftly adjacent from Bonnie's.

"Sure makes you want to slap some sense into her…or kick her ass." Elena echoes Stefan's previous statement.

"As much as I'd love to see you do that," Stefan starts. "You wouldn't want to get into it with Katherine, Elena. She's a vampire." He reminds, voice taking on a slightly reprimanding tone.

"I'd back you up, Lane." Bonnie puts in, smiling comfortingly and reassuringly at her friend.

"Thank you" Elena says, directing a pointed look at Stefan and poking her chest out in a dignified manner. Stefan only smiles lovingly in response.

"Now that's a fight Damon, and probably half of the male population, would pay to see." Stefan says, smirking and looking frightening like the aforementioned man.

"And I wouldn't give _**him**_ the satisfaction." Bonnie echoes with a distasteful frown on her face at the mention of the infuriating man.

"So I'm guessing you're still ticked at him." Stefan inquires, and Bonnie carelessly shrugs her shoulders in response, not wanting to delve into the "less than happy" conversation topic of her and Damon's chaotic relationship.

Stefan, picking up on Bonnie's hint, emerges from his seat and approaches Elena.

"Let me help." He announces, grabbing the package of unopened bacon on the countertop only to have his hand lightly smacked away.

He honestly can't say he's surprised by the familiar action.

"No" Elena immediately objects. "Bonnie and I have this; you just relax." She tells her husband, who in turn smiles knowingly and leans in, kissing her chastely on the lips.

Stefan is completely accustomed to the two most important women in his life's obsession with cooking hearty meals for the men they loved. (And it was _**far**_ worst when Caroline was added to the mix!) Still he'd thought he'd at least try…

"Well then…where's my dear brother?" the gray eyed vampire questions, clapping his hands together with finality and absentmindedly looking around the house.

"Out spending time with Gabe." Elena provides.

At these words, a wide and happy smile breaks out on the younger Salvatore's face.

"Father/Son moment." he says aloud, nodding his head and smiling appreciatively at Bonnie, thankful for her allowance of his brother to spend time with her son. "Nice. I won't interrupt." He decides.

"No. No go." Bonnie echoes, voice and face taking on an insisting tone as she does so. "They've been gone a little over an hour now, so it's cool." She assures. "Go make it a Father/Son/Uncle moment." She instructs, smiling warmly at her friend.

The truth is that she knows she'd made Damon upset last night. She's fully aware of how jealous he can get, especially when he's involved, and she knows it must've been hard for him to see her with another man, but she's also confused. Why should he be jealous? Why did he seem so strongly affected by her when he had _**Katherine?!**_

It made absolutely no since. But still, Bonnie knew that Damon had been extremely angry last night, and as much as she wished she didn't care at all about his feelings, she did, and she didn't want him to be upset. Maybe Stefan could help cheer him up.

Seemingly sensing that there is a deeper meaning behind Bonnie's insistence of him seeking out his brother and nephew, Stefan nods his head in agreement, emerging from his seat.

"Okay" he says with finality, sending a smile over to Elena before exiting out of the side kitchen door of the Cabin.

He and his brother needed to have a good…_**moment**_ any how, discuss this _**Katherine**_ situation amongst other things…

…………………………………_**.BAMON………………………………………**_

It hadn't been hard to find Damon and Gabriel; Stefan had known Damon his entire life and had known his little nephew ever since _**he**_ was born. He'd easily sniffed the two out.

He hadn't so _**easily**_ believed the happy laughter that penetrated his ears as his brother's scent grew stronger; but sure enough as Stefan made his way into a clearing in the forest the two silhouettes, one tall and one small, became clear, and they were both indeed laughing.

The sight of his grinning brother immediately puts a smile on the younger Salvatore's face. It's actually been a while since he's seen his brother smile, let alone laugh, the situation they'd found themselves in left little room for happiness. But now Damon was smiling, and he appeared very happy.

The sight of a smiling and laughing _**Gabriel**_ turns Stefan's smile into an all out grin as he watches Damon give his son a light noogie, laugh calming down into a chuckle as he sits down on the forest floor, left knee propped up and right leg folded on the ground in half of an Indian style.

Gabriel does the same, sitting Indian style on the ground next to his father, the old basketball, he'd been holding, now resting in his lap as he continues to giggle adorably, crossing his arms on top of the basketball and resting his head on top of them as he grins widely.

At this Hallmark Card picture moment Stefan decides to make his presence known as he steps into the clearing, clearing his throat and gaining the attention of the father/son pair.

"Uncle Stefan!!" Gabriel exclaims excitedly at the sight of the gray eyed man, emerging from the floor and jumping into the arms of his Uncle. "Dad and I have been having _**so**_ much fun!!" the little boy exclaims happily to the younger Salvatore. "He's been helping me with my vampire powers!!" he grins widely.

At these words, Stefan shoots a reprimanding look at Damon, smile thinning out as he does so.

"Don't give me that look, brother; it was his idea." The blue eyed man informs, rolling his eyes slightly at the oh so familiar look of disapproval his brother had given him.

"Yeah!" Gabriel exclaims, nodding his head vehemently, eyes wide and intent. "Don't be mad at dad! He didn't want to help me. I had to beg him!"

"Puppy dog pout?" Stefan questions with sudden knowing and understanding as he puts his nephew down and makes his way over to his brother.

"And doe eyes." Damon tells him, eyebrows rising as he gives this information.

"You didn't stand a chance." Stefan says sympathetically, shaking his head at the mere thought of it all.

"Nope" Damon dejectedly agrees, smiling slightly as he does so.

"More time together will help you develop immunity from it." Stefan tells him, smiling as he takes a seat on his brother's left side, watching as Gabriel reclaims his place on his father's right. "Although I still haven't figured out how Elena and Bonnie do it…" Stefan muses to himself, eyeing his adorable nephew in wonder, dreaming of the day he will be able to refuse him of something, _**anything.**_

"It's a woman thing." The little boy interjects, voice matter-of-factly.

The two brother's share matching smirks at Gabriel's words. He really was smart beyond his years, and really said the funniest things.

"Dad helped me brush up on my senses!!" the four-and three quarters-year-old continues excitedly, returning to the subject at hand. "We played a game where he would whisper something and I would have to tell him what he said!!" he explains excitedly, looking over at his Uncle and gauging his reaction all the while.

"That sounds fun actually." Stefan says, directing a surprised look at his brother. He'd been expecting more…less safe, more brutal games from his brother.

Damon, in response to his brother's surprise, smiles slightly and holds his hands out, palms upwards as if to say, "Look who you're talking to."

"It was fun!" Gabriel exclaims, grinning brightly from ear to ear. "And then we raced through the forest," the little boy continues jumpily. "And I had to use my senses to keep from bumping into trees and stuff!"

And there it was…the not so safe games he'd been expecting.

"Not the safest game to play." Stefan admonishes, glaring slightly at Damon who only shrugs in reply.

"He's a strong kid." The older Salvatore says as if single handedly justifying every thing with his words.

Stefan shakes his head in disapproval and Damon carelessly shrugs his shoulders as if saying, "It's too late now."

This was _**his**_ son they were talking about; he wasn't going to hurt him!! The little boy was capable of way more than they gave him credit for.

"Then me and dad weight-lifted some trees!" Gabriel continues, whipping up the right sleeve of his shirt and showing Stefan his little muscles. "It's been so fun Uncle Stefan!!" he grins, and Stefan can't help but grin as well.

"I'm glad you've been having fun, Gabriel." He tells his nephew before directing a serious look at Damon, perhaps it's time they had that much needed conversation…

"Bonnie wanted me to come." The younger vampire quietly informs his brother, watching and gauging Damon's response to his words.

"She doesn't trust me with our son?" is the blue eyed vampire's return as he turns his head and focuses his attention on Stefan, a bitter sneer on his face.

"She's worried about you." Stefan corrects.

"Could've fooled me..." Damon echoes.

"She still cares about you, Damon; she's just…"

"Fighting me off like I've got leprosy?" Damon sarcastically provides, and Stefan directs a solemn and sympathetic look at his obviously upset brother.

"Mommy loves you, Daddy." Gabriel's knowing little voice penetrates the temporary silence as he places a comforting hand on his father's leg and stares up at him concerned. "She looks at you all the time, when you're not looking…" he informs. "But then her eyes get real sad and…

"Gabriel, how about we play some basketball?" Stefan interjects, retrieving the basketball from the ground and emerging from the forest floor. He'd seen the way Damon's eyes had darkened at Gabriel's last words. He knew the self-loathe, sadness, and hopelessness his brother was probably feeling. More than any thing he saw the spaced out look on his brother's face and knew that he needed a moment to think. They could talk later.

Gabriel nods his head, sensing the height of the situation, and makes his way with Stefan about a yard away to an old, lone, and netless basketball goal.

Damon sits on the ground, unmoving, having barely noticed his son and brother's departure.

Damon had awoken that morning thanks to the blinding sunlight seeping through the windows of the cabin.

He'd been extremely cranky and had an annoying crook in his neck from sleeping on an uncomfortable living room couch, complements of the queen-sized bed, the _**only**_ means of sleep each bedroom was so wonderfully equipped with. Damon _**wasn't**_ sleeping with Katherine even in a _**king-sized**_ bed! Those days were over…

So he'd awoken from his uncomfortable night of sleep to the sun shining brightly. Not only was the sun shining furiously, but the birds were chirping happily, and the sky was crystal clear. It was almost as if nature had banded together in attempt to all out _**erase**_ the unpleasant events of the previous night. Too bad Damon remembered them all too well. He'd remembered them that morning, and now as he sits on the forest floor deep in though, he remembers them again.

He remembers the way Bonnie and Jackson had kissed the previous night, he remembers Bonnie retiring to her room on the other man's arm, he also remembers storming off into the forest afterwards, in a monstrous rage, and eating an enormous fleet of wild animals, angry at Bonnie, angry at himself, angry at the entire world.

He was furious at whoever it was who'd placed him in such a losing battle – no, not even an _**intense battle**_ – a _**game:**_ a game where everyone was having a good _**laugh**_ at his futile attempts at a win…It was a game of _**chess!!**_ Damon was playing a game of chess where his queen had been captured and he was trying desperately to get his lone pawn to the other side of the board, fighting so very hard to get back the oh so valuable queen. But all the odds seemed to be stacked against him. And the worst part is that he was to blame for his predicament.

He'd shattered every thing, put an end to the days where his queen had been by his side, loyal, beautiful, strong, and all his.

They would've had forever, in fact he'd frequently called her "his forever;" told Bonnie she was his forever and that he'd love her even after he perished. It was a promise, one that sadly she now probably perceived as a lie, but it wasn't. Even through all they'd been through, she was still his forever. He loved her, always and forever; she was his forever. It just didn't seem like she _**desired **_to be anymore.

Damon couldn't say he blamed her. Their relationship had always been a challenge. It was a mere miracle it'd lasted two years, two years that seemed like _**nothing**_ compared to the five they'd been apart. It was no wonder Bonnie couldn't seem to remember the good times when they seemed so small compared to the bad he'd created for them. He'd even provided Bonnie with a nice sorrowful absence to companion their bumpy two year relationship which had never been a "walk in the park" itself.

In the span of their relationship, Damon and Bonnie had endured nothing but trial after trial. But still…they'd made it through each time. They'd made it pass the Siren who'd attempted to lure Damon and steal him from Bonnie. They'd stayed strong and made it through the time they'd discovered Bonnie's engorged heart. And they'd triumphed and reigned victorious the time Damon had been dieing, staked just below the heart, and Bonnie had saved him with large amounts of her witch's blood.

Through thick and thin they had remained together, went through each trial and battle together, and grew stronger, coming out each time on top because they'd loved each other, loved each other more than any thing in the world.

They'd been special…so _**completely**_ wrong for each other, complete _**opposites**_ who argued all the time; and the fact that they were both extremely powerful Supernaturals did nothing to help their cause. He was painstakingly jealous and possessive. She was also quite jealous herself. He was a shameless flirting ladies man. She was a Varsity Football/Basketball Cheerleader at her College Campus and payback was a "you know what."

She could move things with her mind, and he was a vampire; and like I said earlier, he was a shameless flirt and she was a Varsity Cheerleader who knew how to get even. In other words, there'd been many of books thrown and fires started throughout their relationship. Their fights were intense, dangerous, hot, and sexy. She threw furniture and burned him; he bit her; and they'd go on endlessly until _**exploding**_ from all of the incredible tension of it all and having wild and crazy sex in random places around the house they shared. They were absolutely _**horrible**_ for each other, yet absolutely perfect at the same time. They were in love: fierce, passionate, unyielding, undeniable love.

Could all of that still be there after five years?

Damon _**knew**_ it could, knew it _**was**_…but what if he really was fighting a losing battle? He couldn't get Bonnie back on his own; she'd have to at least be willing, open. And what if Bonnie _**never**_ opened herself up to him again?? What if this was the one trial they wouldn't make it through?

Damon wasn't giving up.

Though he had doubts in his mind and his confidence was wavering, he wasn't giving up on Bonnie. He'd decided this a while ago, he'd reminded himself that very morning, and even now, as his thoughts wander as he absentmindedly watches his brother and son's basketball game, he repeats the mantra in his head.

He's not giving up on Bonnie, not giving up on a life together with her and their son. There's just way too much to lose this time around and there was already _**too**_ much to lose before. There's too much at stake and he will not lose her again, will not lose their family.

"It's getting kind of late; we should head back. We told the girls we'd be back by one." Damon announces decisively, emerging from the ground and making his way over to Stefan and Gabriel.

Stefan nods before making his way over to Damon with an oddly quiet Gabriel who refuses to look at his father, seemingly afraid and aware of the cord his last words struck with his father.

Damon wordlessly lifts Gabriel up and places him onto his neck, eliciting a surprised squeal from the young boy.

"Let's go eat that delicious meal your mom and Aunt Elena made us." He announces, firmly holding onto his son's legs and moving towards the cabin.

"Okay" Gabriel says, a wide grin breaking out on his face as he wraps his arms around his father's head and enjoys the ride.

Stefan smiles at the sight of the now smiling Gabriel and sighs, shaking his head in awe. Damon really might have a knack for this father thing. The little four year old was already cheered up significantly more than he'd called himself, doing during their basketball game.

Stefan actually feels a little jealous at this realization. He'd _**only**_ been there the _**entirety **_of Gabriel's life; no big deal or any thing. Yet, Damon seemed to sweep in maneuver his way right into the little boy's heart, taking his place with ease. It was a little hard on the pride, but it was a good thing. Damon was his father; the two just shared a type of unbreakable bond.

"So what are we going to do about Katherine?" Stefan finally asks the question that's been on his mind since they'd picked up the brunette, as the three slowly make their way back to the cabin.

"I don't know." Damon admits, sighing heavily. "You know Katherine; it's safer to give her what she wants than refuse her."

"Sounds like someone else I know." Stefan interjects.

"Yeah yeah." Damon deadpans before continuing. "Point is, unfortunately she wants to tag along. I figure we let her hang; hopefully she'll get bored of us." The blue eyed vampire attempts.

"I hate to remind you of this, but she also wants _**you.**_" Stefan can't help but point out.

"Well that's _**not**_ happening." Damon returns with firm eyes. "Sooner or later she'll see that, hopefully, and she'll _**leave."**_ He grounds out, becoming annoyed at the mere thought of the woman. "If worst comes to worst we can always have Bonnie cast a restraining spell that keeps her away from us." He tells Stefan, winking deviously at his brother. "I just don't want it to come to that yet, especially with the Sorcerer after us." He informs, face and voice becoming serious again. "Katherine can be very…_**vengeful**_ if you catch my drift…"

"Loud and clear." Stefan replies, shuddering at the thought of Katherine revealing there whereabouts, along with all their trade secrets, to the Gin Sorcerer. "Why does this guy have to be a Sorcerer?!" the younger Salvatore questions aloud, jaw clenched in frustration. "Bonnie could've just set a restraining spell on _**him.**_" The gray eyed man grounds out.

"That just would've been too easy little bro." Damon jokes, attempting to make light of the situation, while directing an understanding look at Stefan.

"What if the Sorcerer finds us?" a quiet Gabriel finally pipes up, voice full of wonder and fear. "What if he gets me?" the little boy asks, voice growing in intensity and fear. "What if you guys are powerful enough to fight him?"

"Hey." Damon says gently, before taking Gabriel off of his neck and placing him onto the ground. "Listen," the leather clad vampire instructs his son, stooping down on the ground and coming to eye level with the little boy who's blue eyes are brimming with fear, a sight that breaks Damon's heart. "_**No one**_ is going to take you away." He tells Gabriel, voice and eyes intent and determined as they bore into his son's. "I just got you back." He continues, shaking his head at the thought. "I missed nearly five years of your life; _**no one**_ is going to make me miss anymore, okay?" Damon questions sternly, looking to his son for confirmation.

Gabriel is silent for a few seconds before he nods his head in understanding, the fear diminishing from his face.

"Okay" the little boy says quietly, and Damon rises from the ground and places a firm hand on his son's curls before bending and his head lightly.

"Don't you forget that." He orders before picking up Gabriel and placing the little boy back onto his neck.

Stefan is completely blown away by the interaction. He truly can't believe how much his brother seems to care about Gabriel, how much he seems to _**love**_ him. He'd only _**hoped **_that Damon would see the adorable kid he'd help produced and fall head over heels. Seeing it actually _**happen**_, seeing the unadultured love and fear in Damon's eyes, warms Stefan's heart and makes him feel almost as if Damon had never left, makes him feel close to his brother, as he had five years ago when he and Bonnie were together and they were _**all **_a happy family.

"Here" the younger Salvatore says, holding out a piece of paper. "You should have this." He says, thrusting the paper into Damon's hand.

Upon further speculation Damon sees that it's a picture, a picture of an infant, a seemingly newborn infant. Gabriel. "I have plenty more back home, lots of pictures and video tapes of Gabriel growing up. It sucks that you missed out on it, but maybe you can get caught up…in a sense."

Damon is shocked by the kind and random gesture, but quickly finds himself too mesmerized by the gift to question Stefan on his extreme kindness. The elder Salvatore peers down at the little baby in the picture. Gabriel is significantly lighter than he is now, as most new-borns are when they're born. His eyes are closed; he's so young and small, but he already has a head full of hair. He's wearing blue footy pajamas. He's absolutely adorable. Still, Damon never thought a baby could be so small…

"Thanks" he says, smiling gratefully, eyes simultaneously landing on another picture in Stefan's still open wallet.

"No prob"

"Can I have that one too?" Damon questions, gesturing to the picture in question.

Stefan removes the picture from the confines of his wallet. It's a picture of Bonnie and Gabriel. In the picture Bonnie is cradling a now older Gabriel, about six or seven months old. She is smiling widely at him, as if attempting to elicit a smile from the baby. Apparently she'd reigned victorious because this picture has a smiling Gabriel smiling uncontrollably up at his smiling mother. The picture is truly beautiful.

"This one is one of my favorites." Stefan tells his brother, smiling as he eyes the picture and holds it up to his brother. "Caroline took this, one day we were all hanging out together; you know that girl and cameras, but she's a pro…" The gray eyed vampire explains, beaming as he does so. "We all loved it so much that she cropped it and had it professionally printed." He finishes before handing the picture off to Damon.

"I have more at home." He smiles, and Damon nods his head in a seemingly dazed, yet thankful state, before placing both of the small pictures into the pocket of his leather jacket.

Seeing the picture of Bonnie and baby Gabriel had brought lots of memories to the surface for the blue eyed vampire, memories of Bonnie and him, memories of a pregnant Bonnie.

Damon smiles slightly to himself as he continues through the forest, allowing his mind to wander back in time.

Bonnie had been absolutely beautiful pregnant, glowing with an essence that was truly breathtaking. And he'd been terrified. He'd avoided her protruding belly for the longest time, seemingly afraid that if he got too close he might break whatever was inside. It wasn't until the day where Bonnie thrust his hand to her belly in excitement, wanting him to feel the baby's kick, that he overcame his fear.

There wasn't any thing like it, feeling the tiny push to his hand on Bonnie's stomach and knowing that it was his kid kicking, his and Bonnie's kid. It was truly amazing to realize that he and Bonnie had created this little tiny person, to realize that this little human being was going to be mixed with a little bit of her and a little bit of him.

The realization had ignited Damon's heart and for a minute he'd been on cloud nine. Making plans for their daughter, who was going to be a soccer girl he'd decided, based on that strong kick of hers. Damon had been extremely happy, constantly rubbing Bonnie's stomach and talking to the baby.

It'd been one of the happiest moments of his life, one of his happiest moments with Bonnie. He hadn't even minded the late night runs to the store for the most random of foods, hadn't even minded the sometimes dizzying mood swings and sensitivity surges; Bonnie Bennett was pregnant with his child, happy, beautiful, and very pregnant with his child.

"I can't believe I was ever so tiny!" Gabriel suddenly exclaims, surprised voice interrupting Damon's thoughts, and the blue-eyed vampire smiles, on a certain high from his happy memories that oddly enough hadn't caused him to feel sadness this time.

At the interruption of his thoughts, Damon also takes notice that they are now only mere feet away from their now visible cabin.

"Well for you to be so _**tiny,**_ you sure made your mother big as a house." Damon jokes, smirking to himself at his witty words, absentmindedly contemplating the thought of having Bonnie pregnant again, of possibly having more children with her.

Stefan chuckles lightly, from beside Damon, before looking up at the little boy on his brother's shoulders and giving him a reprimanding look.

"You gonna let him talk about your mom like that?" Stefan asks, face fixed incredulously, a small smile on his face as he speaks.

Damon's mouth opens wide in surprise of his brother's words as he fully gives his companions his attention and scoffs indignantly before smiling in awe.

"Instigator" he says to Stefan, shaking his head in half-hearted disapproval.

"Dad, don't talk about mom!" Gabriel half exclaims, half whines, falling right into Stefan's set trap.

Damon sends his brother a reprimanding look before turning his attention to his son, a smile on his face when he does so.

"And what are you going to do about it?" he challenges, swiftly moving Gabriel from his shoulders and holding him to his chest as he tickles him speedily.

The four year old erupts into a fit of uncontrollable giggles, laughing and squirming wildly.

"Dad! Stop!" he exclaims, panting in between laughs as Damon continues his merciless tickle attack.

At his son's words, Damon stops and abruptly places the little boy onto the ground before taking off towards the cabin.

"Dad!" Gabriel exclaims in dismay at his father's sudden movements; and Stefan directs a conspiratory smirk at his nephew.

"Let's get him." He announces before swiftly picking up the young boy and heading after Damon.

They find Damon standing outside, a few feet in front of the kitchen door, smiling victoriously to himself.

"It's not over yet!" Stefan exclaims upon their swift arrival, placing his nephew on the ground and beginning their surprise attack.

Gabriel jumps at his dad, throwing light little punches at his stomach, laughing all the while. Damon easily blocks them with his hands and laughs heartily himself at the sudden fight he's found himself in.

Stefan grabs Damon's head and gives him a noogie and the blue eyed vampire in turn directs his attention to his brother and removing his busy hand. Gabriel manages to get some good punches in, though they do not hurt Damon and are not meant to.

The Uncle and Nephew double team Damon, all three laughing all the while as they tussel.

The kitchen door opens and the three males pause to look up and see the disapproving pair of Bonnie and Elena watching them, arms crossed, but poorly hidden smiles of amusement visible.

"They started it!" "He started it!!" the three exclaim simultaneously, both Stefan and Gabriel pointing at Damon and Damon pointing at them.

It's actually a really cute sight, all three men pointing accusingly at the other, faces guilty and innocent at the same time.

Damon holds his ground determinedly before finally sighing in defeat and running a frustrated hand through his hair.

"Double-teamed" he bites out in faux aggravation.

"Sorry dad, had to do it." Gabriel replies, innocently shrugging. This receives a hearty laugh from both Elena and Stefan.

Damon also chuckles to himself, rubbing an affectionate hand over his son's curls before looking up and immediately meeting Bonnie's gaze.

Her green eyes are locked onto his, seemingly studying him, but her gaze is unreadable. Her eyes are beautiful and shining and glued to _**him**_, but a second later, much to the vampire's disappointment, they are gone and staring off into space and Damon feels empty and wishes harder than any thing that she'd just _**look**_ at him again, even if she glared.

"Ahem" the group of five look up to see the sixth member of their household staring at them, arms crossed over her chest and facial expression bored.

"I find it really _**inspiring**_ that you all manage to horseplay when your lives could be ending at any given second," she says condescendingly, eyeing her nails distractedly. "Especially Junior over there." She clarifies, eyes darting over in Gabriel's direction.

She was like a virus, a leech who could enter any place, any situation and completely suck the life out of it.

"Shut up" Damon growls, swiftly coming to stand directly in front of the female vampire, furious at the way she spoke of his son's demise, furious and annoyed by her _**presence**_ period. "Just _**shut up**_ – you know just don't talk - _**at all.**_" The blue eyed vampire sputters angrily before wrapping a protective arm around Gabriel's shoulders and leading the boy into the house, girls and Stefan in his wake. "Annoying bitch…"

Katherine was annoying as ever and now in his thoughts, seeing as he couldn't seem to shake how _**annoying**_ she was, but still, Damon also can't shake the way Bonnie had been looking at him, the intensity in her beautiful orbs. If only she would look at him the way she used to; if only she'd look at him like she loved him. The gaze she'd previously directed at him had come oddly close to the love and passion her eyes used to hold for him and him alone. And the needful craving alone, to have the real thing, is enough to keep Damon motivated for years.

Bonnie still loved him; he knew she did, he could see it in her eyes. Now if only he could convince _**her**_ of this…

**Author's note:**** Sorry about the abrupt end!! Also sorry for the wait. Well I'm completely sure, more than I've ever been sure before, that you guys DEFINITELY hated that chapter. I'm SO sorry. I also apologize for any errors in this disappointing chapter. I didn't proofread as much as I should have. Hopefully you guys will just know that I really am trying. I appreciate any and all reviews. God bless. If you're not too busy check out my Stefan/Bonnie "Something There;" that should be far less disappointing than this. Also check out this amazing Vampire Diaries and Supernatural crossover, "Salvation & Temptation" by **_cwluvr._** It's amazing and she could really use some of your love. Thank you so much for reading. God bless.**

**WORDS OF WISDOM: (****written ahead of time if you're wondering why I sound so chipper…)Tomorrow is Easter! Tomorrow is the day we remember and appreciate our Lord for sending his only son to die on the cross for our sins. It really is incredible what he did for us, and not easy. They beat him, taunted him, spat at him, and tortured him beyond belief, before killing him, but because of him we have hope for tomorrow. We can die without fear because we know we'll wake up in a better place, in paradise with him. It really is an incredible feeling of peace. If you don't have this peace yet, I highly encourage you to go to church tomorrow, visit a church with an open mind and listen to the word of Jesus. Easter is the holiday where the most people visit the church; be on of those people. Any thing can happen! God bless! **


	9. Chapter 7 Part 3

**Author's note:**** Oh my goodness, you guys have absolutely NO idea how hard it's been for me to write this chapter! It's been SO very hard. If it weren't for you guys and your constant reviews and PMs, which I will be personally thanking you for, (such a LONG list, praise God!) I probably NEVER would've been able to update. That and LOTS of prayers is the only way this chapter is now FINALLY posted!...I pretty much psyched myself out on this one, making it near impossible to update because NOTHING was good enough; it wasn't the right time; I didn't have a muse! Bull crap pretty much! I knew exactly what I wanted to write, basically have the ENTIRE STORY already mapped out in my head, just kept MYSELF from writing it. Well I've learned my lesson and hopefully you guys can learn from my mistake as well! We can do ANY THING when we put our minds to it, and if you have the LORD on your side, shoot, the SKIES the limit! We've got to stop aiming for the ordinary and aim for the EXTRAORDINARY follow your dreams, don't let society tell you what you CAN'T do. With God, any thing is possible. Pray to him, trust in him, He'll make a way. Shoot for the stars people and take the moon too! You can do ANY THING. God bless. And without any FUTHER ado, please enjoy: Chapter 7 part 3. (It's an EXTREMELY long chapter so…bathroom break time!)**

**Chapter 7 Part 3**

_I live here on my knees_

_As I try to make you see_

_That you're every thing I think I need_

_Here on the ground_

_But you're neither friend nor foe_

_Though I can't seem to let you go_

_The one thing that I still know_

_Is that you're keeping me down_

Right now Bonnie is trying to keep her _**eyes**_ down. Down and trained on her food. She _**has**_ to because…

Twelve.

Twelve, twelve, _**freakin**_ twelve. She's done it _**twelve**_ times this morning, and really it's _**ridiculous.**_

Try as she might, Bonnie can_**not**_ seem to keep her eyes from wandering over in Damon's direction, and apparently her vampire counterpart can't seem to do the same with _**her**_ because they have locked eyes _**twelve**_ times already…in less than an hour's time span!

The entirety of breakfast has basically been a fierce game of eye-tag played between the two of them, him looking at her and her consequentially meeting his gaze, or _**her**_ looking at him and him catching her doing so before she awkwardly averts her gaze.

Bonnie doesn't know what's wrong with her. Why can't she stop looking at him?

What if he really _**is**_ telling the truth about Katherine? What if he really _**doesn't**_ like__the brunette? (Who just so happened to be extremely annoyingly planted _**right**_ _**next to Damon**_, well at the head of the table by him that is…)What if there really _**was**_ _**SO**_ much more to the story than what she knew?

Maybe the need to know the answers to these questions is what keeps bringing the witch's eyes over to her ex? Bonnie doesn't know, but altogether this is really _**throwing**_ her because she really _**shouldn't**_ care either way, whether he's telling the truth or not! _**Why the heck does she care?**_ Bonnie doesn't know. All she knows is that she does… that, and that she may in fact _**lose her mind**_ if she locks eyes with Damon Salvatore one more time.

His looks are just so intense, _**too**_ intense, and filled with some deeper, meaningful emotion Bonnie can't seem to decipher (or perhaps doesn't want to…). They definitely differ from Bonnie's questioning, curious, confused, and frightened looks. And the two varying looks happen to meet so frequently between the supernatural entities that not only is it about to drive the witch _**insane,**_ but Bonnie also finds it purely _**miraculous**_ that no one else has seemed to _**notice**_ them. If they had they weren't saying any thing…

Aside from the awkward stares and palpable tension, (mainly between Bonnie and Damon, but also between Katherine and Damon, and Katherine and Bonnie…the _**tension**_ that is…) breakfast goes pretty smoothly, and finally, after a good 20 minutes, it's over.

Talking resumes in the cabin as sounds of chewing and clanking of silverware ceases and the group relaxes into their seats fully fed, energized, and rejuvenated.

"Mmm! Mom, Aunt Lena, that was the _**best**_ breakfast I've ever had!" an elated Gabriel exclaims excitedly, eyes wide and joyful grin unwavering.

The adults all chuckle at the young boy's excited exclamation. (Well all except Katherine, that is.) It certainly was a delicious breakfast, not to mention the biggest breakfast the four year old had ever seen.

"Thanks, baby" Bonnie beams at her son.

"Glad you liked it, Gabe." Elena echoes, smiling softly at the young boy from her spot, sandwiched between the Salvatore brothers.

"Yeah. Well done girls; this is a meal I will not soon forget." Stefan smiles at Bonnie and Elena before kissing Elena lightly on the cheek.

"I hear that!" Jackson echoes, grinning widely and casually draping an arm around Bonnie's chair. "I'll be having _**dreams**_ about this food!" he jokes, receiving laughs from everyone in the room except of course Katherine again…and Damon as well. "Can my future wife cook or what?"

The blue-eyed vampire tries not to become too disgusted, irritated, and _**angered**_ by the Latino's last comment, by the position of his arm; he really does. It's extremely hard though, especially for someone as jealous and possessive as Damon, especially when it's about _**his**_ Bonnie, but after a few seconds of inner raging war, he finally opts for a _**compliment**_ of his own.

"Yeah," Damon suddenly says, agreeing wholeheartedly with Jackson's previous statement, before turning his attention to Gabriel. "Remember when I said there was nothing better than your mom's favorite pancakes, son?" the vampire quickly questions and gets a smiling head-nod from the curly haired boy seated directly across from him. "Well I forgot how _**incredible**_ her French toast is!" Damon beams giddily; and really he deserves some kind of acting award for covering up his anger the way he did.

Much to Damon's surprise and slight (very _**slight**_) disappointment, his words receive no laughs; they don't even get chuckles, not even a _**smile**_ (except from Gabriel that is), but the dark haired man pays little attention to the feedback of his comment as his eyes _**wander **_over to the Latino man seated between Bonnie and Gabriel, and his grin widens as he spots Jackson's agitated eye roll.

He's annoyed. Damon knew he would be, and he _**loves**_ it. He knew Jackson would be annoyed to hear Damon talk to Gabriel as he had, using terms such as, "your mother" and bringing up things of the past. It was reminding the other man that he did indeed _**have a past **_with Bonnie, a long and _**deep**_ past with her. (Certainly _**deeper**_ than Jackson's!) Damon had been with Bonnie _**far**_ longer than Jackson probably had, _**knew**_ her far better than the other man could ever even _**hope**_ to know her! They were _**linked**_ together, past, present, and hopefully future. He was simply reminding Jackson of this, with a simple yet affective remark. He was _**also**_ reminding Jackson that Gabriel was _**their**_ son, _**his**_ and Bonnie's, a little _**piece of him**_ and a little _**piece of her **_put together, not _**Jackson!**_ (I mean who the heck did the guy think he was? Sitting between Bonnie and Gabriel as if the three of them were _**already a family!**_ _**ASSHOLE!**_) And he never would be!

Damon's eyes automatically, out of habit, go to Bonnie, after eyeing Jackson with jovial satisfaction for a few seconds; and he is surprised to find the witch already looking right back at him…well _**glaring**_ actually...Her eyes are venomous, narrowed slightly and accenting her flared nostrils. (Is Damon wrong for simply thinking Bonnie looks sexy as hell when she's angry?) She knows the intent her ex had for his previous words, and is not fooled in the least by the simplicity of his compliment. She knows him _**way**_ too well.

"Stop it" the brown-green-eyed witch mouths, lips stern and stiff.

"What?" Damon quietly asks aloud, shrugging his shoulders in faux confusion and fixing the beautiful caramel-skinned woman with an innocent look of indignation.

"Yeah, Bonnie you make the best French toast." Stefan suddenly speaks, echoing his brother's previous compliment, also knowing _**full**_ well what the homicidal vampire was trying to do, and trying his best to rid the cabin of the awkwardness previously thrusts upon them.

"Thanks Stef" Bonnie breathes, thanking the younger Salvatore for more than his nice compliment, fully and eagerly biting at the chance to discredit and move on from Damon's previous statement, a small, appreciative smile on her face.

"No prob" the gray eyed vampire assures quietly, sharing a knowing look with the witch. Damon could really do the _**most**_ sometimes…seemingly any thing and every thing he could do to annoy and piss everyone off.

"Yes Bonnie, I do think we did rather well with the meal; if I do so myself." Elena chimes in, speaking with a British accent as she smiles playfully over at her friend adjacent from her, a faux cocky and boastful demeanor to her.

Bonnie grins at her bestie and giggles.

"Oh please _**do**_ say, Elena." The witch urges, thick British accent in place as well. "And _**I**_ must agree; we really did…_**outdo**_ ourselves on this one." She says before laughing out loud.

"Good job old gal!" Elena echoes before bursting into laughter as well.

"Jolly good show!" the hazel eyed woman exclaims between laughs, and the table of supernaturals join in on the friend's laughter as well. Stefan and Jackson chuckle, amused and entertained by the two best friend's and their ability to make one another laugh so easily and to find the smallest thing funny and hysterical. It really was special. Gabriel also laughs uncontrollably, beaming happily as he does so.

"You guys are so silly!" the little boy exclaims before laughing more.

Damon smiles as well, eyes trained on Bonnie as he watches her laugh. Her smile is simply infectious; you can't help but smile at the sight of it. And her entire face lights up when she laughs, it's a sight he's missed seeing. She just looks so happy, so full of life. It warms his heart. She's so beautiful…so very beautiful to him…

Katherine on the other hand, rolls her eyes in annoyance, from her spot at the head of the table.

"They're freakin weird, that's what they are…" she speaks over the laugher, affectively helping it to diminish.

"Don't pay her no mind; she's just mad cause she's never _**had**_ a best friend. Not a real one like you guys any ways." Damon tells Elena and Bonnie before emerging from the table and taking his dirty dishes over to the sink, suddenly feeling the need to depart from the picnic-like table because a certain _**nobody**_ just _**had**_ to open their big mouth and remind everyone of their overbearing presence!…

The brunette in question merely sneers at Damon in reply.

"So the guys and I are going to the eastern side of the forest to train, work out, spar and stuff." Stefan suddenly announces, breaking into the possible moment of awkwardness and clapping his hands with finality as he changes the subject.

"That sounds good." Bonnie puts in, aiding the subject change. "Maybe I can go to the west side to practice the lightening." The witch echoes/suggests.

"Alone?" Elena and Jackson simultaneously question incredulously.

"Yes, alone." The petite witch confirms, scoffing slightly at her over-protective friend and boyfriend. "I need to concentrate, and at any rate the lightening blows will be pretty powerful and dangerous. At least I hope they'll be…" she finishes.

"Fine" Elena succumbs, smiling at the young boy adjacent her. "I guess it's you and me for the day then."

"And maybe we can visit Dad, Uncle Stefan, and Jackson and take them lunch and water in the middle of the day!" Gabriel exclaims, a thoughtful, excited look on his face. "And we can do the same for mom!...And then we can make dinner for everyone!" the little boy rattles off excitedly.

"That's not a bad idea actually." Stefan informs, with a kind smile for his nephew.

"Just warn us somehow before you come." Bonnie advises, stopping herself from asking them to _**call**_ and warn. (This "no phone" thing was _**really**_ annoying…) "We'll be in full training mode."

"Okay" Elena agrees. "We'll holler for the guys; they'll hear; and Gabe will use the communicating spell to let you know when we're coming." The brunette tells her best friend before making her way over to the sink where Damon is still standing.

"He knows the communications spell?" the blue-eyed vampire asks, seemingly surprised and impressed.

"Only spell mom'll teach me." A bummed out Gabriel replies, pouting slightly.

"Only spell you need to know." Bonnie echoes, leaning slightly forward in her seat to fix her son with a stern look before looking up and receiving an _**incredulous**_ look from the father of her son. "_**For now!**_ He's not even five, yet!" the mother defends, receiving an eye roll from the vampire this time, one she exasperatingly and quite sassily returns.

"I'll help you with these." The younger Salvatore brother inserts, breaking into the short parental disagreement and emerging from his seat, joining Elena at the kitchen sink and simultaneously turning the faucet of the metal cleaning tool.

"No," his wife immediately says with finality, simultaneously turning the running water off. "_**You**_ and the guys should go ahead and get started training. Half the day is almost gone, already." She reminds, tone somewhat reprimanding, as she smiles lovingly at her husband. "Gabe and I have this." She says, pecking the gray eyed man on the cheek.

"You sure?" the vampire questions skeptically.

"Positive" Elena assures, and Stefan nods, leaning in and kissing the beautiful human deeply and chastely on the lips. "Alright guys, let's move out." He announces to the other vampire's, kissing Elena one final time on the forehead (They really were too cute for words!) before exiting the cabin.

"_**Well!**_ That's my cue to head to the spa!" the brown-haired, brown-eyed Elena lookalike announces, an overly large grin plastered on her face. "2 o'clock appointment; you guys understand! Tootles bitches!" Katherine exclaims exiting, with vampiric speed, out of the cabin.

The four remaining adults stare after the retreating vampire, Damon annoyed but not surprised, Jackson seemingly the same, Bonnie livid, and Elena shocked and sputtering slightly.

"Gabriel, go take your bath." The brown eyed woman finally manages to get out (in a rather rushed manner), directing her attention to her young nephew whom was smart enough to sense his mother's angry mood and refrain from talking because of it.

"But Aunt Lena!" the five year old objects wholeheartedly. He knows that the adults are about to have some "grown-up" talk, probably about _**Katherine**_, who he's not so fond of himself, and he doesn't want to miss out on the action!

"Don't "Aunt Lena" me." Elena says firmly, using her magical Aunt powers that allow her to still be intimidating even with a slight smirk on her face. "I let you get out of it last night because it was late and you were tired but you're not getting out of it now! Do you wanna be a stinky butt?" the beautiful woman rattles off, inspecting the blue eyed boy with a perfectly arched eyebrow for the answer of her parting question.

"No" the small boy pouts slightly in a small defeated voice, nose scrunched up in distaste at the mere thought of his Aunt's words.

"Then go, mister." Elena repeats sternly.

"Alright, I'm going." Gabriel groans before dragging his feet over to the hallway that leads to the bedrooms and bathroom. "Don't say any thing exciting without me!" he calls over his shoulder before disappearing into the hallway.

Elena smiles and rolls her eyes in slight amusement and wonder of her smart nephew, but as soon as he's gone…

"Unbelievable!" the beautiful brunette exclaims immediately, facial expression and tone livid as she says what she's been wanting to say for a while now. "She's going to the freakin _**spa?**_" Honestly the girl was just _**rude!**_ Not only was she behaving rudely and disrespectfully in regards to their dire situation; get this! During breakfast she'd had _**no**_ problem whatsoever eating Bonnie and Elena's deliciously prepared meal, but seemingly _**refused**_ to offer any sort of compliment, even a thank-you for their endeavors! Just _**disrespectful! **_Not to mention she'd _**insisted**_ on scrunching up her nose distastefully the entire time she _**did**_ eat! She was just extremely rude; and now she was _**chilling at the spa**_ while they all struggled to protect her precious and adorable nephew from danger? Elena did _**not**_ like her. _**At all!**_

"Well would you honestly rather have her _**here?**_" Jackson echoes/questions in response to the chocolate brown-eyed woman's heated exclamation, a pointed look on his handsome face, accompanied by a look of dread at the mere thought of having the female satan spawn stick around with the rest of them.

"Touche" Elena sighs in defeat, running a frustrated hand through her long brown locks, silently thanking God that the horrible scenario had not occured. "She just needs to go the hell back where she came from!" the beautiful woman lets out in a heaved and frustrated sigh.

"Hell" Bonnie finally speaks, biting the word out angrily, eyes narrowed and burning holes into the door Katherine previously disappeared out of. How dare she _**go to the spa**_ when her son's life was in jeopardy!

"Touche" Elena repeats once more, the girl _**had**_ to be from hell; I mean there was no other place that could produce such a horrible thing!

"I'm gonna go change." Bonnie suddenly announces, angry and frustrated (cause she's honestly never wanted to kill anyone as badly as she wants to kill Katherine.). It was high time she changed into her training clothes and made her way into the forest to get out some serious anger during some intense training.

"Not without saying goodbye to me, you aren't." a familiar voice halts Bonnie's exit and the beautiful woman turns and directs a sheepish look at her fiancé, having forgotten for a moment that he was even in the cabin. Anger often does that to a person, blinds them.

"Sorry baby" Bonnie sighs, mood still a little sour as she walks up to the Latino and dutifully throws her arms around his neck. "Bye" she says softly before kissing him lightly on the lips. Jackson of course immediately deepens the kiss and the two kiss proceed to kiss for a few more seconds before Bonnie breaks away and smiles softly, genuinely, looking into Jackson's dark brown eyes. "See you later." She says before pecking his lips once more. Some how he always managed make her feel better...

"Later" the tanned man agrees, smilling and kissing Bonnie's temple before exiting the cabin, directing a slight smirk at Damon as he does so.

The vampire in question fumes at the sight of the victorious look on the Latino's face and bites the inside of his jaw, in attempts to remain calm, clenching his fists tightly, _**very**_ tightly at his sides before directing his intense eyes onto Bonnie and gradually flexing his fingers out of their fists.

He just stares at her, simply stares, doesn't say a word, just stares, a million different emotions going through his head and playing out on his face.

And Bonnie just stares back, unsure what to do, unsure what to say, but unable to look away. His look speaks volumes, and yet, she doesn't know what he's trying to say; but for some reason her heart is speeding and her skin is burning at the mere _**sight**_ of it. Then finally…

"Be careful." Damon tells her sternly, eyes intent as he finally breaks their stare and directs his attention to the living room. "Hold the fort down son! I'll see you later!" Damon shouts into the confines of the cabin.

"Bye, dad!" they all hear Gabriel shout in response, still in the bathroom.

Damon smiles to himself slightly before fixing his eyes on Bonnie one more time. His eyes meet hers again and he stares at her, looking intently, intensely, as if he wants so badly to say more to her. But he doesn't. He turns and leaves, leaving Bonnie confused and curious.

The beautiful witch in question lets out a breath, she wasn't aware she'd been holding, and runs a hand through her long locks, looking distraughtly up at the ceiling.

"Well that was weird."

Elena's mumble breaks into Bonnie's jumbled thoughts and the petite woman merely nods, thoughtfully, mind a million miles away.

"Yeah, it was." She softly agrees before exiting the room. "I'm gonna go change." She quietly announces before disappearing down the hallway and into her and Jackson's bedroom.

She fumbles through her drawers, looking at the clothes she'd magiced to the cabin without really _**seeing**_ them. She dazedly picks out a black tank top and matching black, cotton pants before she distractedly proceeds to get dressed. Why did Damon have to look at her like that? Where did he get off, looking at her like that? He _**couldn't**_ look at her like that!

What was going on between them? Why couldn't they stop looking at each other? What was going on with _**her?**_ Why did she react so intensely to him?

Bonnie groans aloud, running her hands over her face before scooping her hair into a ponytail and letting out a big breath. She'd ignore it; ignore what she was feeling… _**whatever**_ she was feeling! She'd ignore it. She had to. There were _**way**_ more important things to focus on. She _**had**_ to focus.

The green-eyed witch decisively grabs Emily's Grimiore before exiting the room.

"Whoa! Hot mama!" is what the beautiful woman is met with as she enters the hallway and her eyes land on an awaiting Elena, standing in the living room.

The brunette lets out a low whistle as she eyes her friend, and Bonnie can't help but roll her eyes.

"Really, Elena?" she questions. "You see me in this outfit every time we have to train or go to a big fight."

"Doesn't mean I can't still tease you about the hotness of that getup." The dark eyed woman smiles.

"Okay, I'm leaving." Bonnie deadpans a sarcastic smile in place as she enters the living room and eyes the front door of the cabin as she walks towards it.

"Oh no you don't!" Elena exclaims, laughing slightly at her friend's antics as she grabs her forearm, halting her escape.

"Before you set to all that hard work," the beautiful woman starts, grinning widely as she speaks. "I've got someone here who wants to speak to you, hopefully give you some encouragement." and Bonnie finally notices that Elena's black Verizon, Samsung Reality is in her _**hands**_…_**LIT UP!**_

A look of utter horror, sickly terror, immediately breaks onto the witch's face, and Bonnie swears she thinks she's gonna throw up.

"Oh my goodness! Hang up! Hang up, Elena; what were you thinking?" the petite woman exclaims hysterically, basically _**jumping**_ on Elena in attempts to press the "End call" button on the infuriating touch screen phone.

"Relax, Bonnie! It's okay!" the slightly taller woman exclaims, trying to protect her phone and herself from her frantic friend.

"Elena, no!" Bonnie exclaims, literally _**shaking**_ from fear as terrified tears cascade out of her eyes. "We weren't supposed to make any calls!"

"Correction." Elena quickly says, moving over to her friend and hastily wiping away her tears, shocked and disappointed at the affect her "surprise" is having on her very distraught friend. "We weren't supposed to contact anyone who was _**in the manor.**_" The beautiful woman clarifies, eyes twinkling slightly as she reminds Bonnie of this information. "_**This**_ person wasn't in there." She says. "Relax, Bonnie." She comforts before hesitatingly placing her phone into her friend's still shaking hands.

Bonnie closes her eyes at the sound of Elena's words. It was alright. Every thing was fine. The rule was not to contact anyone who was _**in the house**_ and the person on the phone, _**wasn't **_in the house. The witch repeatedly tells herself this as she opens her eyes and struggles to regain normal breathing.

Finally having calmed her beating heart and her frantic breathing, she looks up to see Elena fixing her with an encouraging look, and she looks down hesitantly at the phone still placed in her hand before finally pulling it up to her ear and speaking.

"Hello?" the witch says hesitantly, softly.

"What's up Miss Phoebe Halliwell?"

Bonnie squeals loudly in response to the voice on the other end of the phone, literally squeals, quickly wiping her tear stained face and smiling giddily, all thoughts of worry and trepidation quickly dissipating.

"Caroline!" the witch exclaims excitedly, a huge shocked grin plastered on her face. "Hey! How are you?" she immediately questions, somewhat out of breath from the sudden and large wave of excitement thrust upon her. "I've missed you." She says more softly, somewhat sadly as she directs her shocked and happy look to her brunette best friend who merely smiles back and shrugs slightly, clearly proud of herself and her little plan, that was finally having it's affect on her now cheerful best friend.

"I've missed you more!" Caroline squeals on the opposite end of the phone. "_**And**_ I've been great." She informs, and Bonnie can basically see the large and dreamy grin on the blondes face. "Although I wish I was back home with my girls; these guys are driving me crazy." She adds as an afterthought, and Bonnie can't help but laugh.

"You love them." She replies knowingly as Elena silently leads her over to the living room couch and gently guides her to sit, sending her a warm smile before making her way into the kitchen and giving Bonnie some privacy.

"I do." The blue-eyed beauty submits to the witch's previous statement with a wistful sigh. Again, Bonnie can see the grin on her face, content and happy. It makes _**Bonnie**_ happy. "But I still wish I was there with you and Elle." The blonde finishes.

"No you don't." "Bonnie informs instantly, thinking of the chaotic mess she, Elena, and mostly _**all**_ of the gang, for that matter, was in. "We're in huge battle mode."

"Oh yeah! I can't believe I forgot! Elena told me." Caroline gasps in response.

"She did?" Bonnie questions. _How long had Elena and Caroline been talking earlier before they arranged __**this**__ conversation?_ The witch can't help but wonder.

"Yeah, not too many deets though, just that a lot is weighing in on _**your**_ shoulders." The blonde rambles off.

"Yeah." Bonnie sighs heavily, running a hand over her face and sighing. "I'm the only one who can really defeat this guy."

"And you will." Caroline's voice is firm and sure, unwaveringly sure. "You've got this Bonnie. You've defeated many baddies, and this guy will just be another trophy to add to that impressive shelf of yours." The beautiful ex-head cheerleader rattles off knowingly.

"You sound so confident…" Bonnie can't help but reply hesitantly.

"Because, I am!" The blue-eyed woman scoffs incredulously on the other end of the phone, laughing slightly at the end of the sound. "Do you know who you _**are?**_" she questions, as if Bonnie's this secret, dangerous person and hasn't figured it out yet.

"…A powerful witch?" Bonnie replies after a couple of seconds of thinking.

"_**No.**_" her best friend groans on the other end of the phone. "You're Caroline Donavan's best friend!" she exclaims, vocal tone as if this was the most _**obvious**_ thing in the world.

Bonnie laughs in reply, actually laughs out loud. The blonde always had a way of making light of a dark and sucky situation. She could always make her smile.

"Right you are!" the witch agrees wholeheartedly, still laughing as she does so. "I should've _**never **_doubted myself!"

"You shouldn't have." Caroline agrees, tone playful with a slight faux reprimanding tone in it. "But seriously, Bonnie, you can do this." The blonde states, all playfulness gone from her voice as a serious, firm, stern tone takes over. She sounds so confident about this that Bonnie just wants to believe her, take her wholeheartedly for her word, but still. She has a lot weighing on her shoulders, she's unsure; but when it comes to her son she'll be 100 percent sure. "You're a powerful witch. I believe in you, trust you with my life completely; and honestly Gabe couldn't be in better hands."

Caroline's heart-wrenching words crash into Bonnie, taking meaning, warming her soul. Boy had she needed this. How did Elena know? How did Caroline always know what to say?

"Thanks, Care" Bonnie sighs, truly touched by her friend's words and ready to get to work so that she won't upset the confidence and conviction her friend has towards her.

"Aunt Caroline!" a loud exclamation is heard in the cabin accompanied by the sound of small padding feet and before Bonnie knows it, a half dressed Gabriel comes running into the living room, underwear and shirt on, but no pants. "I knew I heard you scream her name a few minutes ago!" the young boy exclaims, grinning widely. "Let me talk to her! Let me talk to her, _**please**_ mom!" he begs, and right at this moment, Elena makes her way into the room, drying her hands on a dish towel.

"Gabe, baby, let your mom talk to Aunt Caroline, okay? She'll have to leave soon to train so we can't prolong their conversation. I'll let you call her later, okay?" the brunette says gently.

"Promise?" Gabriel questions hopefully, smile still in place.

"Promise" Elena grins, "Now go get dressed so you can help me with the dishes." She instructs. "Sure took a long time in that bathroom." The brunette adds, and Bonnie grins as she watches the exiting pair.

"I was singing." The young boy informs softly.

"I know, I heard." Elena smiles. "Justin Beiber right?"

"Yeah" the blue eyed hybrid blushes slightly before turning back around to his mother. "Tell Aunt Care I love her, and to tell Blaine he'd better call me!" he yells to Bonnie before disappearing into their bedroom.

"Love you too!" Caroline exclaims into the phone and Bonnie grins. "She says she loves you too, babe!" the beautiful witch shouts to her son, laughing slightly. This is the happiest and most at ease she's felt in days. Talking to Caroline makes her forget about their dire situation, for a moment she can imagine she's with her, living the normal life…it's nice. Maybe someday…who is she kidding?

"You know, I kind of miss it all." Caroline suddenly says out of nowhere, voice taking on a wistful tone. "Fighting the evils of Mystic Falls…" she trails off, and Bonnie can hardly believe her ears. Who would miss _**that?**_ Still…it was a part of her now, just as much as her brown-green eyes were a part of her face.

"You mean getting _**captured**_ while fighting the evil Mystic Falls…" the witch echoes teasingly.

"Hey! It's not my fault the do-badders were _**drawn**_ to me!" Caroline defends passionately. "Besides, I just made it easier for you guys to find them! _**Especially**_ if you didn't know who the bad guy was in the first place, cause you could always scribe for me!"

The defensive tone in the blonde's voice makes Bonnie laugh.

"Right you are, Care!" she agrees wholeheartedly. "You were definitely an asset to the team." She smiles, thinking back on the old days, the happier days when the gang was all together, strong and unstoppable: Stefan, Elena, Matt, Caroline, Tyler, Jeremy, her and…Damon. They were together, happy. Now they were separate, split.

"Thank you" Caroline interrupts Bonnie's thoughts with her dignified reply and the witch sighs to herself, realizing that her wistful grin had quickly turned into a sad frown at the thought of the present day relations of the gang.

"Enough of the "bad guy" talk though; I want to hear about my nephew!" she quickly exclaims, praying that Caroline, who knows her like the back of her hand, will not sense the change in her mood, and changing the subject in attempt to prolong the sense of calm normalcy she is receiving from talking to her blonde bestie.

"Oh Bonnie, I don't know who he is sometimes!" Caroline replies dramatically. "He's such a _**boy**_, always rolling in the dirt, running around, rough housing. He's so _**tough.**_ Not to mention, he's _**cocky!**_" the blonde rambles off in one breath, voice incredulous at her last statement. "He's trash talking like nobody's business! Already into football of course." She adds the last part as an afterthought. "And he's kicking the other kid's butts at it too! He's _**so**_ good, but again, so cocky! I don't know where he gets it from! Matt's not like that!"

"Well Caroline I remember when _**modesty**_ was a foreign word to _**you.**_" Bonnie reminds, knowing full well who was to blame for a nephews cockiness, and unable to erase the fond smile on her face at the memory of Caroline's boastful days. The blonde sure had grown since then... "_**And**_ his dad's a pro football player, _**and**_ he seems well on his way in following in his footsteps? He's bound to get a little cocky. Just keep him grounded." the witch encourages, grinning like an idiot because honestly she loves hearing about Caroline's family life; it makes her feel less distant, like she's there with her being a part of it.

"Well hopefully I won't have to try much longer." The blonde says in reply to Bonnie's previous words, a hint of happiness and mischievous in her voice. And the witch wonders what her friend his getting at, but she doesn't have to wait long for an answer! "Matt keeps talking about moving back home."

What?

"What?" Bonnie exclaims excitedly.

"Yeah. Him _**and**_ Ty actually." The blonde informs, and Bonnie can hear the grin in her voice and can't help but grin as well. Caroline, Matt, and Tyler back, not to mention her nephew? "They love the Broncos, but they miss the Gang. And Blaine misses his cousin." Caroline finishes.

"Gabe misses him as well. We _**all**_ miss _**all**_ of you." Bonnie says before relaxing further into the couch, an elated grin on her face. "Wow" she says in wonder. "It would be great if you guys moved back. The gang would be back together."

"Yeah" Caroline agrees on the other end. "Matt and Ty were talking about maybe taking over and coaching the Timberwolves football team. Nothing's set in stone, but they were talking to some people and it looks great." The blonde informs.

Wow.

"Please do it. Please move back. That would be incredible." Bonnie urges.

"I know" Caroline agrees somewhat wistfully. "Hopefully" she adds before sighing heavily. Uh oh. Bonnie knows what that means. "But any ways, I'm gonna let you go." And there goes the fatal words. "I know you've got some witchy mojo to catch up on, and I don't want to keep you from it!"

But it had been so nice! Their conversation had been _**so**_ good and it had felt so carefree, safe, sound, and normal to talk to the Caroline! Bonnie didn't want it to end, but then again she couldn't hide in the phone forever, eventually reality would set in. The reality that they had a battle to fight, one she needed to prepare for.

"Yeah, I probably should get started on that…" Bonnie agrees quietly, sighing and sitting up at attention on the couch.

"Good luck. I'll be praying for you." The blonde says, voice light but confident.

"Thanks, Caroline." Bonnie says appreciatively. She'll never know how much she truly appreciates her for always saying _**exactly**_ what she needed to hear to believe in herself.

"No prob, and Bonnie…"

"Yeah?" the beautiful witch questions.

"Damon's made a lot of mistakes, but you and him? You were good together. _**Really**_ good…Don't be too quick to give that up." The blue-eyed cheerleader advises and Bonnie can't help but let out a loud groan.

"Just how much _**did**_ Elena tell you?" the witch questions, slightly afraid to hear the answer.

"Enough!" Caroline exclaims. Great. A vague answer…"Just think about what I said, alright?"

"Alright" Bonnie agrees with a heavy sigh of defeat which, for some reason, Caroline finds amusing. Why? Bonnie doesn't know. But really, her anguish is not funny. Still…

"Bye Bonnie. I love you." Caroline replies with a _**chuckle**_, but Bonnie doesn't have the heart to be too annoyed or angry with her friend, neither does she have the right. She's just frustrated with Damon and their situation and is clearly in need of an outlet to let said frustrations out on.

"Love you too, Care. Bye." Bonnie says before sadly hanging up the phone and staring blankly at it for a few seconds before finally emerging from the couch.

She makes her way into the kitchen, a small content smile on her face and a confident pep in her step. The aunt-nephew pair turn around from the dishes and lock eyes with her at her entrance.

"Thanks, Lena" Bonnie smiles, hugging her friend. "That was exactly what I needed." She tells the now grinning girl before bending down and kissing a watching Gabriel on the forehead. "I'll see you two later." She grins moreso to the young boy before standing up straight. "Be good" she tells him, making her way over to the cabin kitchen door.

"Be safe!" Elena shouts after her.

"_**You**_ be safe!" the witch shouts over her shoulder, directing a dazzling smile to her best friend over her shoulder as she exits the cabin, ready and excited to practice some serious lightening.

Elena Salvatore smiles to herself before chuckling slightly. There was her confident, witchy best friend! Finally she'd let go of the suffocating fear of the danger her son was in, and was showing signs of being her regular strong and feisty self. Welcome back Bonnie Bennett…

******FOREST…EAST SIDE******

Irritated, distracted, _**irritated**_ is how Damon Salvatore feels. He got jipped…majorly! The only reason he'd been so excited about the prospect of training was because he figured he'd get to spar with Jackson! Lay in on him a few times and blame it on the adrenaline from the fight! _**NOPE!**_ _**No such luck!**_ Daddy Stefan had made sure of this!

The younger Salvatore insisted that both Damon and Jackson spar with _**him**_, and not _**each other!**_ Gosh he was such an _**old man**_ sometimes, such a spoil sport! Why couldn't he just let Damon tussle him up _**a little?**_...Just a little. He'd come out of it alive!

As the blue-eyed vampire stands on the figurative sidelines watching the Latino man exchange punches with his brother, he cannot contain the low growl that escapes his lips. This is so _**maddening**_, so irritating! He swears he's never hated someone so much in his entire life! He keeps seeing Jackson's victorious smirk from a couple of hours ago when he'd basically made out with Bonnie in front of him. All he wanted to do was _**fight**_ him, _**kick his ass**_! _**WAS THAT SO FUCKIN BAD?**_

Damon heatedly runs his hands through his hair before throwing himself onto the forest floor, sitting, bringing his knees up to his chest. He swears he's going crazy. He cannot _**stand **_the sight of Bonnie and her _**"fiancé"**_ has never been able to stand the sight of Bonnie with _**any man**_ that isn't him. And if her dick boyfriend kissed her in front of him _**one more time**_, he would beat him to a bloody pulp!

He was _**parading**_ Bonnie in front of him! He was bragging, boasting at the fact that he had her! Well Bonnie was _**his!**_ Body and soul. She always had been, always would be, even if she didn't know so herself…He could _**think**_ he had her for now! But they would soon be over! Hopefully. Damon didn't know how much more he could take.

His mind wanders to his beautiful witch, much like it has been doing that entire morning. It'd almost even distracted him from beating Stefan in their sparring session…almost.

He wanders what Bonnie's doing at that very moment, and silently wishes he was with her. It sucked not being around her; it was boring; it was frustrating. It was hanging with Stefan and…asshole. Any thing was better than spending the day with _**Jack**_-ass.

Not to mention he wants to talk to Bonnie, _**needs**_ to talk to Bonnie. He needs her to know the real deal with him and Katherine, needs her to know once and for all that he loves _**her**_ and only her; needs to be around her _**period**_ because they are all pretty much in _**life-threatening danger**_ and she's training _**alone**_, and as much as he's trying not to be an annoying, overbearing worrywart, he's worried and needs to know that Bonnie is safe, needs physical confirmation, needs her under his specific watch and care.

Too bad the woman was stubborn as a mule and would surely refuse to be watched like a fragile infant…Damon knows it, Damon knows _**her.**_ Stubborn as a mule, but heck that is one of the reasons he loves her so much. _Besides_…the eldest Salvatore thinks sinisterly, watching the two vampires spar before him. '_Maybe I'll just take a stroll to the west side of the forest and very quietly make sure Bon's alright…What she doesn't know won't hurt her, and I'm sure my presence won't be missed here…' _he muses. At any rate, he sure hopes Bonnie is safe, and having a better time with her training than he's having with his…

"Shit!"

Bonnie curses loudly, running a frustrated hand through her now loose and flowing dark locks, before looking up at the sky, silently asking the high heavens, what _**the hell is she doing wrong? **_

She's been at it for hours now! Lunch has come and gone, gone to the fowl of the forest for she hasn't stopped. She's been saying this damn spell over and over, waving her arms crazily, changing her dialect, changing the _**language**_, doing any thing and every thing she can think of, but _**still**_, it's so _**WEAK**_! _**What the heck can she do to make this spell pack some kind of punch?**_

The wind suddenly blows and Bonnie closes her eyes, feeling the breeze wash across her face, she opens her eyes to see leaves swirling around her in a manner that is most definitely supernatural. But she's not doing it. But Bonnie isn't afraid. She feels a familiar presence around her, a presence that soothes her, warms her heart, and makes her smile.

"Grams" the petite woman whispers softly before closing her eyes. "You're here. Thanks." She says quietly.

"Bonnie, baby, use your brain." Her Grandmother's Southern accent invades her thoughts.

"I am Grams, I'm trying every thing." The young woman assures aloud, weakly defending herself and begging for her Grams to shed some light on her problem.

"Except the most _**obvious**_ of things." Shelia corrects in her all knowing, sassy like, yet oh so loveable and comforting tone. "C'mon Bonnie baby, my Grandson's life is at stake; think." The older woman encourages. "This is a spell that requires _**strength**_, some _**power**_ behind it. It's not your regular witch's spell. It requires something from _**you.**_" Grams finishes, voice all-knowing and mystifying, and suddenly…

It hits her like a punch in the face and Bonnie can't believe she hadn't thought of this earlier.

"You know what to do, Bonnie." Grams voice is heard, but this time sounding rather distant, and Bonnie suddenly opens her eyes, a new confidence and determination to her.

"Thanks Grams" the beautiful witch breathes, no longer feeling her Grandmother's presence.

She should've known. She _**really**_ should've known. Throughout the years of practicing and perfecting her craft, she's discovered that certain, more complicated spells require a bit more than deep concentration and skill…they require an "emotional link." That's what her Gram's was talking about. It required something from _**her**_…an emotional link.

Gosh, she should've known! If she wants to produce some _**serious**_ lightening watts, she probably _**definitely**_ has to have an emotional link to this spell!

Now the question was, what _**kind**_ of link…a happy emotion, a sad one, angry one, frightened one? _**What kind?**_

Bonnie's only ever had to do a spell with an emotional link, twice in her life. The first was about six years ago and it'd had to be a happy link. That one was pretty easy, a couple of years ago it'd been more complicated with her most angry emotion. Bonnie isn't quite sure what to expect with this spell…Perhaps process of elimination was the best stragegy…

Bonnie cracks her knuckles, ready to go to work, as she wracks her brain for her _**happiest **_of memories, but it doesn't take her too long to come up with it.

The day Jackson asked her to marry him, _**definitely**_ her happiest memory thus far. Bonnie closes her eyes and pictures it, pictures Jackson getting down on his knee, in the middle of the crowded and fancy restaurant, and asking her to marry him.

She opens her eyes, smiling at the beautiful ring on her finger and allowing the happy feeling of elation to feel her at the thought of the wonderful memory. Then suddenly, she says the words, which she knows by heart now, thanks to the _**many**_ times she's had to say them.

She directs her energy and spell towards the large sycamore tree and this time, it soars. The lightening soars over to the tree, flashing on it…but still leaving it completely flawless. Still, it's a huge step up from the previous times she's tried and succeeded in making the lightning appear a mere couple of feet before her, not even making it over to the tree!

_**Still**_, Bonnie groans in frustration before suddenly closing her eyes once more, letting another memory floods her senses.

"_Bonnie!" _

_Damon's shouting for her. She can hear him. He's here! He's finally come to get her. She's excited, ecstatic. She wants to get up, wants to run to him, throw her arms around him and hold him tightly. She swears she'll never let him go if she gets the chance. But she's so tired, so weak she can barely move. _

"_Bonnie, damn it, Bonnie, please!" he's hovering over her now, voice close and pleading with her. "Bonnie, please be alright!" he exclaims, and Bonnie feels him move yet even closer, pulling her frail body into his strong arms, holding fiercely onto her as if his very life depends on it. "Don't leave me!" he orders, speaking into her temple, mouth pressed against her soft hair framing her beautiful face. "I love you so much!" _

_The words come out in a rush, in the height of the situation, in the heat of the moment, in utter desperation and trepidation, a final plea, a plea for her to stay alive, stay with him because he loves her; and as dead as Bonnie was feeling before, his words set her soul on fire and immediately brings life and strength to her weakening immune system._

"_What?" the beautiful witch questions, not believing her ears. Damon Salvatore loves her?_

"_I love you." The blue-eyed vampire repeats, in response to his girlfriend's question, before his eyes grow big in shock, realization, and relief as he pulls back from Bonnie's temple and looks into her face, met with the sight of two soft, doe-like, brown-green eyes looking back at him. _

"_Bonnie!" Damon breathes out in relief, an elated grin breaking out on his face as he stares at the love of his life, alive...weak, but alive, and still as beautiful as ever. _

"_Hey baby" his beautiful girlfriend greets softly, smiling weakly up at him; and Damon's heart does a somersault. _

"_Bon!" the vampire exclaims happily, kissing Bonnie deeply on the forehead before suddenly breaking away from her and directing an infuriated glare at the woman. "Don't you ever fucking scare me like that again!" he tells her, eyes fiery, yet soft at the same time. _

"_Sorry. I was going to tell you I was alright, but then you started that beautiful monologue. I didn't want to ruin it." the petite witch jokes, voice weak and groggy like as she directs a playful grin at her blue-eyed counterpart. _

"_You didn't want to – you didn't want to interrupt my monologue?" the vampire sputters indignantly, wondering how the heck the girl could joke considering how fragile a state she was in. She needed some of his blood, and quick. "I'm gonna freakin…take you home and make love to you till your voice is hoarse." The vampire starts threateningly before flaking and saying what is really on his mind. _

"_Promise?" the witch questions hopefully, wanting nothing more than to have her boyfriend make love to her countless amounts of times. _

"_With all my heart." Damon says, peering down at Bonnie with eyes full of promise. _

_He then moves to pick her up but Bonnie stops him, halting him with a weak hand on his chest and soft, pleading eyes. _

"_Do you mean it, Damon?" the beautiful woman softly questions suddenly. _

"_Mean what, Bon?" the vampire questions in confusion. _

"_What you said earlier, about loving me." The caramel skinned witch says softly, looking down at her lap, a small blush on her cheeks. _

_She looks adorable...vulnerable. The sight warms Damon's heart and he shakes his head slightly, a smile on his face all the while as he eyes the beautiful woman in his arms. _

"_Yes, I love you, Bonnie, my God. You should know that by now." He tells her, eyeing her with loving, amused, and somewhat reprimanding eyes before he suddenly finds himself being pulled down by the shirt as Bonnie crashes her lips into his. _

_She kisses him, softly, deeply, and he immediately responds, losing himself in the chaste but passionate kiss before Bonnie finally ends it._

"_I love you too." The beautiful witch breathes, grinning up at Damon with sparkling green eyes and for a moment Damon can't breathe. Bonnie loves him. Bonnie Bennett loves him, and it's the most freakin amazing thing that's ever happened to him. The most amazing thing that Damon's ever heard! But of course, he's Damon Salvatore, he's got to play it cool. _

"_Good" the vampire finally says before picking up the fragile witch. "Real good." The man repeats coolly before making his way to the exit of the abandoned warehouse, grinning like an idiot. _

Bonnie opens her eyes, a small, sad smile on her face at the thought of the memory, her _**true **_happiest memory. Even though it'd been around one of her toughest times, the time she'd been kidnapped by a clan of vampires and held captive for over a month. Even though she'd been weak and frail, that day had been the happiest day of her life. It was the day Damon had told her he loved her, and Bonnie had never been so happy. _**This**_ was her happiest memory, Damon confessing his love to her.

Bonnie closes her eyes, willing herself to concentrate deeply, she focuses on the joy she'd felt at Damon's heartfelt words; she allows it to fill her before opening her eyes, swiftly saying the spell and directing her magic towards the sycamore tree.

CRACK

This time the lightening makes a whipping sound before it shoots out at the tree, already getting better results than her previous attempts, and once it hits the tree another crack is heard.

Bonnie lets out a sigh at the sight of the crack in the bark of the large tree. It's a step up, but still, no where _**near**_ the affect her lightening should be having. It has to be another emotion.

Bonnie rakes both of her hands through her hair before closing her eyes and wracking her brain for her most fearful memory. It isn't too hard to come up with. It's very recent.

The witch allows herself to relive her vision from the previous morning. She sees it for the second time: Gabriel being captured, her friend's being trapped, herself being killed. She allows the fear to overtake her heart; Bonnie had never been so afraid in all her life. The vision had been so real, so vivid, and they'd had virtually _**no**_ time to stop it from happening. It was only by the grace of God they'd escaped!

Bonnie opens her eyes, releasing her fear, chanting the spell and sending her magic towards the Sycamore tree.

CRACK!

This time a larger crack imprints the tree, and the large vegetation shakes unsteadily.

"Damn it!" Bonnie swears aloud, chewing on her bottom lip. This is the _**last**_ thing she'd wanted. More than likely, the emotional link needed for her spell is either an angry or a sad one, both of wish she didn't want to conjure up. But she was running out of time, her son's life was at stake, and she _**needed**_ to perfect this spell in order to be able to fight and save him.

Perhaps anger would be less painful to produce…

Perhaps…if only her angriest memory wasn't so painful…

Bonnie doesn't have to wrack her brain for this memory. She knows it all too well; it still haunts her to this very day. The angriest she'd ever been was the day she'd had Gabriel, specifically about an hour after he was born. She was furious.

Most would think this moment to be her most fearful. She'd just birthed a premature son whom was immediately placed on breathing and life support machines and was literally fighting what seemed like a lost battle for his life. But Bonnie wasn't scared. She'd been in a dark place. She could barely take care of herself, much less a little baby, and the baby was the _**last**_ thing on her mind. All she could think about was Damon and she was steamed, literally _**steamed.**_

The hospital bed was shaking, the TV flickering, and the objects in the room were flying round and round in a Bonnie produced hurricane.

Poor Stefan had been running around like a chicken with his head cut off, compelling doctors and visitors from entering the room, trying to figure out a way to get the angry and out of control witch out of the hospital without causing harm to her fragile body, whilst all in all being thankful she wasn't destroying the entire hospital but merely her _**room.**_

Bonnie had been livid, her skin hot like fire, her eyes dark and dangerous. She was seeing red. She couldn't believe this was happening. This was her moment of realization. Up to now she'd convinced herself Damon was coming back, he wouldn't _**really**_ abandon her, leave her with their unborn child and just split!

After birthing her son, Bonnie realized that that was exactly what the vampire had done. He'd left her, and he wasn't coming back. He'd left her, abandoned her, left her alone to raise a child, ripped her heart out of her chest and torn it into a million pieces, ran it over, shattered it.

No longer wanting to think on the painful memory, Bonnie wrenches her eyes close and allows the anger to fill her, wash over her, take over; then suddenly she shouts the spell, opening her eyes and directing her power to the tree.

**CRACK**

The lightening whips loudly before hitting the tree. This time a large branch is ripped away from the Sycamore.

Bonnie breathes heavily, chest heaving and skin glistening after the emotional turmoil. Anger had _**definitely **_been affective, still Bonnie wonders if perhaps sadness will yield more of an affect.

She's already come this far emotionally; she might as well go all the way…

The witch closes her eyes and relives it all. Surprisingly enough, her saddest memory took place the same day as her angriest, in fact it was a mere moment before it.

Sad was her initial reaction to the realization that Damon wasn't coming back to her. It broke her heart, made it hurt to the point where it physically pained her, it ached.

Hadn't he loved her? She thought he had. She loved him. She loved him with all her heart, yet it didn't seem like that was good enough. He was gone. He'd left, left for her…Katherine. Bonnie had thought she was good enough, good enough to make him move on from his past heartthrob, good enough to love. Apparently she wasn't. The realization was extremely heartbreaking, enough so to make her cry for hours before finally abandoning her fragility for a more aggressive emotion.

Bonnie squeezes her eyes tighter, grimacing slightly at the feel of warm tears rolling down her face.

She softly whispers the spell before hearing the loud and familiar crack and watching yet another large branch plummet to the ground.

Damn it. She'd thought for sure…then suddenly a thought hits the witch and she hastily wipes away her tears.

Her angry and sad memories had nearly the same powerful affect…perhaps if she combined them…

Bonnie closes her eyes, allowing the sadness to fill her, the sadness of realizing Damon wasn't coming back to her, of realizing she wasn't good enough for her, of realizing he'd left her. She takes it in, sobbing silently at the memory before suddenly allowing rage to enter her heart, the fury and bitterness she'd felt immediately after her sadness, the anger she'd felt after realizing _**he'd left her**_, he'd _**actually**_ left her, alone, broken.

At the swift change of emotion, Bonnie passionately says the spell, confidence radiating off of every heartbroken pore as she directs the spell towards the tree one more time.

**CRACK!**

The giant Sycamore tree splits in two, directly in half, one half falling to the left and one to the right.

The petite witch coughs, moving her hands in front of her face to help clear away the dust formed by the falling trees.

Finally the dust clears and Bonnie stares ahead at the large, massive fallen tree, a watery smile on her face.

Bonnie Bennett has just perfected the lightening spell. Finally.

The witch wastes no time in gathering her ancestor's Grimiore, the bottled water she'd received with her lunch, and making her way back to the cabin. The sun is beginning to set and honestly the woman is exhausted, physically and emotionally drained.

She trudges slowly through the forest, wishing so badly that she could teleport to the cabin, _**but**_, another thing she'd read in Emily's Grimiore about the Gin Sorcerer: he could track teleportation spells. Really who the hell was this guy?

Bonnie stops, a couple of minutes into her trip and takes a drink from the water bottle in her hand, chugging it like a starved man. She's definitely wishing she'd had that lunch now; she'd probably have a lot more strength _**now**_ if she had.

She closes the bottle of heavenly tasting liquid, wipes her mouth with the back of her hand, and this is when she sees it. Straight ahead, the most beautiful sunset Bonnie thinks she's ever seen in her life.

The witch stills at the sight of it, memories crashing into her small frame as she stares at the beautiful array of orange, red, pink, and purple. Italy is so breathtakingly beautiful, and its sunsets are no different. The witch looks around the forest and truly takes in it's beauty, the beautiful color of the brown dirt beneath her feet, the beautiful tress before her: pine, oak, cherry, all kinds. She closes her eyes, taking in the scents of the different vegetations, the scent of the forest, as she remembers countless romantic sunsets with Damon. Vacations at the beach, vacations in the mountain, or just outside of their home; Damon surprisingly loved sunsets. He would come outside and just stare at them, said it allowed him to think, free his mind, that is until she started joining him, then there wasn't much _**thinking**_ at all, strangely enough he never seemed to mind.

Bonnie smiles slightly at the thought of this happy memory before sighing heavily. Another damn memory; gosh this had certainly been a day of "blasts from the past," a true trip down memory lane. Well, it was time to go home! It's time to return to reality.

Bonnie freezes as she's about to turn on her heel and finally reestablish her trip back to the cabin. Her skin is buzzing, a familiar tingling sensation lingering underneath; and her heart speeds, pounding unmercifully as a familiar scent overtakes her senses, as a familiar _**presence**_ overtakes her.

He's there…near by, _**painstakingly**_ near by.

Bonnie takes a deep breath, simultaneously closing her eyes and swallowing the lump in her throat, determined to ignore his presence even though she feels like she is literally _**drowning**_ in it. The petite woman stills herself for a sure encounter with the infuriating man as she slowly opens her eyes and lightly bites down on the inside of her cheek.

"Beautiful isn't it?"

Damon's voice invades her thoughts and her senses as he comes to stand next to her, staring off at the sunset she'd been captivated by moments before.

No. No, no, no, no, no! Can't they do this another day, a day when Bonnie doesn't feel extremely emotionally drained? The witch already feels as if she's literally spent the entire _**day **_with the vampire, having to re-live the most painful memories of her life. She's hungry; she's tired; and she's _**not**_ in the mood. But Bonnie is tired of running away, running away from Damon and their problems. She's exhausted, but she's not running away this time. The re-incarnation of her hard and hurtful past seemed to cancel out the any and all fear she felt about _**any thing**_ before.

So, determined to stand her ground and behave bravely and un-phased Bonnie directs her attention back to the sunset, decisively taking in its beauty. It really is breathtaking. She only enjoys it halfheartedly though because all she can seem to think about, after Damon's simple conversational words, is how truly _**pathetic **_the two of them are. They are _**so**_ pathetic, pathetic because they can't even carry on the simplest of conversations anymore. It _**pains**_ her to talk to him, to remember how they used to be, how they used to talk about _**every thing.**_

Maybe the sadness of their loss of conversation is what truly moves Bonnie to respond to Damon, along with the need to not run away and avoid him,…I don't know, but…

"Yeah…it is." The beautiful witch replies softly to Damon's previous question, staring with determination at, and only at the sunset before her. And that's when she hears it.

'_But not nearly as beautiful as you.'_

It invades her mind, her thoughts, her senses, almost as if he's sent it to her purposefully, but she knows he didn't. It slipped out, just like his emotions and thoughts have been slipping out to her since he's re-entered her life.

His words break her heart, make her sad, and make her angry. Why can't he just _**lay off?**_ Leave well alone, _**alone?**_ Why does he have to keep pushing and pushing? Sooner or later, someone was going to _**fall.**_ And it wasn't going to be her.

"Um, I think I'm gonna head in now." Bonnie announces softly, with finality, after hearing Damon's previous non-verbal words. As sad as it was that she and Damon can barely carry on a conversation, perhaps now isn't the time to try to attempt one. Perhaps she just isn't ready. Perhaps he isn't ready, since he's apparently still harboring feelings for her. She's not afraid, and she's not running away, honest. Right now, just isn't the time to face her giants, her fears.

_Then when?_ The little voice in her head questions, calling her on her bull, but she quickly quiets it with a firm, _Shut up._ She just needs to _**leave**_ right now. She doesn't want, nor does she need to be around _**him**_ now. But apparently Damon has other thoughts…

"Wait!" the vampire exclaims, voice determined and commanding, eyes begging as his hand lightly wraps around Bonnie's forearm, halting her in retreat. "Just talk to me, _**please.**_" He…well he begs, voice bordering the lines of desperation. "I just want to have a conversation with you."

"Why?" Bonnie demands, ripping her arm out of Damon's grasp, brown-green eyes moving viciously to meet his ocean blue as she turns her attention to him, truly wondering "why?" Why do they have to _**talk?**_ Why do they have to be _**around each other?**_ _**Why is he here in the first place?**_ Back in her life, making it miserable?

'_I miss you.'_

Damon's naked thought enters her head, honest and open, and she has to wonder if he has a filter at all? There was a _**way**_ to keep your thoughts _**to yourself!**_ One he needed to start practicing…

"It's been so long since we've had a conversation…a _**normal**_ conversation…" comes the vampire's verbal reply, immediately after the nonverbal one, keeping Bonnie from marinating on the words he'd previously invaded her mind with. "I just want to talk to you." He tells her, eyes so sincere and heart almost _**visible**_ on his sleeve. "Please"

Maybe his open hearted demeanor is the reason why Bonnie decides not to leave. Or maybe it's because it literally _**pains **_her every time she curses him, speaks cruelly to him, or turns her back on him because, no matter how easy it was for _**him**_ to walk away from _**her **_all those years ago, it's never been easy for her to walk away from him. Whatever the reason may be, Bonnie doesn't leave. She sighs heavily in surrender as she simultaneously crosses her arms over her chest and arches an awaiting eyebrow at her vampire counterpart.

Damon can't help the smile that breaks out onto his face when he realizes Bonnie is staying, but he quickly wipes it away, well diminishes it somewhat, before clearing his throat somewhat nervously. And Bonnie curses herself for thinking it's cute how happy Damon became because she didn't leave, and how nervous he seems to be now that she is staying. She thinks it's completely adorable, but she _**shouldn't.**_ She shouldn't think any thing of it, any thing of _**him!**_ This is why she didn't need to stay. She tended to feel and think things that were beyond her will and control when she was around him. _**Her**_ filter, figuratively speaking, stopped working. Not a good thing. Not a _**safe **_thing.

"So…" Damon starts hesitantly. "Dancing with the stars is pretty good this season." The vampire finally says, tone back to it's normal confidence, and all Bonnie can think is, _Seriously? Is he serious? We're going to talk about __**Dancing with the Stars?**_ But as she eyes Damon's eyes and the sincerity in them… "I like that Kelly Osbourne; she's edgy. And Mya's freakin hot as hell!" and Bonnie can only think, okay, he's _**completely**_ serious; we are going to talk about Dancing with the Stars…

"Really? You want to talk about Dancing with the Stars?" Bonnie finally questions aloud, voice and face incredulous. She almost wants to laugh. She agrees to have a conversation with Damon and he talks about a TV show. It was almost pure Damon, unpredictable to a fault.

"Well you used to _**force**_ me to watch it!" the blue eyed man defends passionately. I mean how could she not see the relevance of this? "And...I've kind of been keeping up with it." he says on a quieter note as if he's ashamed to admit he's watched the show willingly.

'_Anything to make me feel the __**least**__ bit close to you…'_

Bonnie ignores Damon's escaped thought with all her might as she determinedly continues on with their conversation.

"I like Donny." The witch basically blurts before swallowing and calming her tone and willing her beating heart to do the same. Why couldn't he control his damn thoughts? "I mean - he's not the _**best**_, but he wants it so badly…" she finishes casually.

"Don't tell me you're one of the young girls crushing on that old man?" Damon questions incredulously, nose scrunched up slightly as he does so. Really, what did girls see in him? He wasn't nearly as hot as _**him!**_

"Well I used to watch the Andy Williams Show with my mom when I was little!" Bonnie defends passionately. "He was around my age on the show; how was I to know he was so old? And when I found out, the crush just didn't want to go away." The witch shrugs slightly, a sheepish look on her face. "He's a lot younger than you though…" she adds underneath her breath. And my gosh! They're having a conversation! A regular, normal conversation!

"Not nearly as sexy though, baby." Damon returns Bonnie's comment with a dazzling smile before his face grows somewhat more serious. "Favorite color still green?" the vampire questions.

"Yes. Really, the favorite color question?" Bonnie arches a perfect eyebrow and receives a dramatic and enthusiastic head nod from the truly childish man before her. "Your's still black?" she sighs, rolling her eyes in overdramatic annoyance.

"Of course" Damon says in a sing-song voice. "Top favorite ice-screams still Cookies N'crèam and Birthday Cake?"

"Yeah." Bonnie smiles slightly, still surprised how much he remembers about her, how well he knows her. "Your's still Rocky Road?"

"It's _**me**_ right?" the vampire returns cockily, and for some reason Bonnie finds it comforting. "_**See?**_ We're talking, we're conversating!" the blue-eyed man exclaims pointedly, eyes twinkling boy like.

"We are." Bonnie nods, smirking slightly, thoughtfully, at Damon's jovial grin.

The vampire then sighs in a way that sounds content. He sighs a content sigh before looking over at Bonnie, a serious, concerned look on his face.

"How'd the training go today?" he questions, eyes watching Bonnie inquisitively for her response, reaction. "Think you might have the lightening down?"

Bonnie smiles to herself, actually smiles, and this surprises her because she'd though she wouldn't be able to look back on this painful day with nothing but grief, but darn it she'd accomplished something, something _**wonderful!**_ She had indeed perfected the lightening spell, and even though she'd had to endure a lot in order to do so, she'd done it; she'd reigned victorious, triumphant!

"I believe I do…" she says softly, before her smile turns into a confident grin. "I _**do.**_" She clarifies proudly.

"Amazing…" Damon tells her, a proud look on his face that warms Bonnie's heart, and a huge grin to magnify it. "I knew you would." He tells her, azure eyes boring passionately into her muddy-green. "I know I sounded skeptical about it before, but I really do believe in you." He informs her softly, eyes intense and passionate. "You're powerful, strong, and when you put your mind to something, nothing can stop you. You defeat this guy, no doubt about it."

Bonnie's heart soars at Damon's heart wrenching words. His eyes are intent, sincere, and she knows he is telling the truth. He truly believes in her. That means the world to Bonnie.

"Thanks" the petite witch says softly before asking an inquiring question of her own. "How was training with the guys?"

"**Boring.**" Damon scoffs, as if this were the most obvious answer in the world. "It was Stefan and Jack-ass for heaven's sake!"

"Jackson" Bonnie sternly corrects.

"They're really both the same thing." Damon informs her. "So how did you perfect the lightening?" he asks, truly curious and wondering how in the world Bonnie had perfected such a complicated and powerful spell.

Bonnie quiets at his question. Their conversation is going down a road she doesn't wish to travel. If their line of questions continues the way it's going, Damon's going to want to know specifics. She doesn't want to tell of her painful trips down memory lane, doesn't want him to know, doesn't want to hurt him because each and every one of her most painful memories was centered around _**him.**_

She bites down on her bottom lip, eyes meeting Damon's awaiting and slightly curious gaze.

Damn it. Her silence has already caught his attention and spiked his curiosity. If she opts for a subject change, he'll know something is up, know she's keeping something from him and he won't stop bothering her until she caves and tells him what.

She might as well tell him the truth. She'll have to do it eventually anyways now…

"…Well…it was an emotion-based spell." The witch starts. "Grams helped me figure that out."

"Wait. Grams made an appearance?" Damon interrupts, a shocked and somewhat scared look on his face.

"Yeah" Bonnie confirms, nodding her head.

"But, Bons she only ever comes out in the most crucial, and I mean _**crucial **_of situations." Damon reminds, stating the obvious, fearful of what this newfound information means.

"I know" Bonnie nods, a forlorn look on her face, as she hopes that Gram's appearance will distract Damon from his previous path of questions.

It seems to only peak his interest _**more.**_

"So Grams helped you figure out you needed an emotional link to perfect the spell…" Damon speaks, urging Bonnie to continue on with her story.

The witch in question sighs heavily, wishing she could lie to the vampire, but he knows her like the back of his hand and would notice right away if she even _**tried**_ to deceive him.

"Once I figured this out, all I had to do was find out which emotion to expound upon." Bonnie informs, before stopping once more, hoping Damon will stop his line of questions here.

"So which emotion did it turn out to be?" the rogue man questions with interest. And Bonnie doesn't know why she even tries. She might as well go ahead and tell him the full story at once, rip off the figurative band-aid she'd created.

"It's a combination actually. Saddest memory, topped off with maddest." The witch informs, staring down at the ground all the while and realization dawns on Damon.

"They were both about me weren't they." the blue-eyed vamp questions quietly.

Bonnie's silence is more than enough confirmation to his thoughts, and he feels like a complete ass. The woman he loves, the woman he loves with every fiber of his being, with every thing in him, with every _**part**_ of him, human and vampire, associates her most painful of memories with him.

It's his fault. He only has himself to blame. He was the cause of Bonnie's most devastated and furious moments. His stupid decision had caused all of this.

Filled with self loathe and no longer desiring to be in the witch's presence, mostly out of shame, the vampire suddenly turns on his heels, deciding its time to return to the others. Why had he left in the first place? He was fooling himself, really he was? How in the world could he think he had a _**chance**_ with Bonnie, after all of the pain he'd caused her?

"Well, what do you expect, Damon?" Bonnie shouts after the vampire, not having wanted to hurt him, but now agitated and frustrated that he is just _**walking away**_, much like he'd done all those years ago. "You hurt me, okay?" the witch exclaims, growing slightly angry that Damon was trying to leave…_**again.**_ "You hurt me a lot. More than anyone's ever hurt me…" she tells him, tears pricking at her eyes as she chokes on a sob and watches Damon freeze in his spot, unmoving, halted by her words. "I loved you…You left me…and you broke my heart, Damon."

The vampire turns on the spot, eyes meeting Bonnie's teary orbs. He hurt her by moving to walk away; he knows it, feels it. He's hurt her so much, so much these past years, and even now he's _**still**_ hurting her. Will he ever get it right?

"I'm so sorry, Bon." Damon breathes, moving, taking long strides to stand before the beautiful witch once more.

"You just left…like I didn't even matter, like the past _**two years**_ we were together didn't matter,…like our child didn't matter." She whispers the last part brokenly, eyes shining painfully, angrily at him. "Do you know how badly that hurt?" she bites out, struggling to maintain her composure and refrain from all out sobbing.

"Oh god, Bonnie…" Damon painfully whispers, wanting nothing more than to wrap his arms tightly around her small frame and make all her sorrows go away.

"Imagine the most gut wrenching feeling you've ever felt that not only literally pains your heart, but you're stomach and you're entire being to the point where you're literally _**sick **_and puking you're insides out." She continues unmercifully. "Imagine that, and you're not even _**close**_ to the pain I felt." She coldly informs Damon. "It hurt so badly that I felt like I was losing my _**mind**_ from the pain, the pain from you're betrayal, the pain of feeling completely lost and alone…unloved…and the pain of _**still**_ loving you, despite everything, of _**still**_ being completely 100 percent _**in love**_ with you and willing to go to the ends of the earth for you…and knowing that you didn't feel the same." She tells him, voice laced with pain as she empties her heart, empties her eyes, empties herself.

"I was an idiot, Bonnie. I'm the biggest _**idiot**_ alive." Damon tells her, painfully shaking his head at the realization of all the hurt, pain, and agony he'd brought upon Bonnie. "If only you knew _**why**_ I did it..." he spoke in a pleading tone. Maybe if she knew, it would ease her heart, if only a little, it might ease her pain. "It wasn't for Katherine. It had nothing to do with her." He informs softly.

"Does it really matter?" Bonnie exclaims incredulous, hysterical. "The damage is done. It still happened, _**you**_ still left." She reminds him before scoffing bitterly to herself and running a hand through her loose hair. "You know, I used to think you'd come back, used to _**know **_you would come back. Heck I became freakin delirious after a while, hearing your voice, seeing you, _**swearing**_ to Stefan and Elena that you were coming back to me." She tells him, voice self-depreciating and incredulous. "_**Finally,**_ after having Gabriel, I realized…you _**weren't**_ coming back. You didn't _**love**_ me; you didn't _**care**_…so I decided to stop caring. I stopped loving you." She informs, feeling strangely empowered, free, and _**strong**_, finally able to get out her true feelings, finally able to tell him what she's wanted to tell him for years. He'd hurt her, badly. And she was done. She didn't love him anymore; she'd made herself stop. She stopped loving him.

"Well I didn't stop loving you, okay?" Damon immediately returns passionately, blue eyes shining, and Bonnie can't believe but she's sure she heard a sob in his voice. "I _**didn't**_ stop; I never stopped loving you." He tells her fiercely, strongly. "It was real for me, Bonnie. Don't you ever think for _**a second**_ that it wasn't." he says, mouth quivering slightly before he continues, seemingly struggling to keep his composure. "The two years we were together…those were the happiest years of all my life." He says, shaking his head sadly at the happy but now slightly sad memory. "Being with you was like…being on _**fire**_ (that seemed to describe it almost _**perfectly.**_), but staying alive. It made me feel _**alive,**_ made me live." He tells her with shining, intense, and passionate eyes. "I didn't _**start**_ living till I met you Bon; when I was with you…_**you**_ made me alive." He heedlessly tells her. "And I loved you more than life itself, I would've given up my undead eternity for you in a heartbeat. I would've done any thing for you." He breathes, eyes shining and willing Bonnie to see his sincerity.

"And yet…" the witch deadpans, struggling to keep hold of her cold demeanor.

"I'm human, Bonnie…well somewhat." Damon tells her, a guilty look on his face. "I make mistakes." He shrugs bitterly at the thought of his fatal mistake. "_**Leaving you**_ was the biggest mistake I've ever made in my life. I mean I must've been out of my damn mind." The vampire rattles off, truly in awe of how he had ever come to make such a _**stupid**_ decision. "You don't know how many times a day I wish that I could take it back…that I could just go back in time and take it all back." He tells her, eyes shining emotionally. "That I could've been there for Gabriel's birth, could've heard his first words, helped him take his first steps…be there for his first day of school." The vampire continues thoughtfully. "If I could just go back in time and _**not leave**_…" he trails off, closing his eyes at the what-ifs he knows will painfully never happen.

"I have _**nightmares**_ about it, Bonnie!" he tells her, finally wrenching his eyes open. "It haunts me. It _**kills**_ me, knowing the life I could've had with Gabriel…with you…Gabe and me outside playing catch, you yelling for us to come inside, the sight of you standing over a stove in a cute housewife's apron as you add the finishing touches to dinner, me sending Gabriel upstairs to wash his hands while I sneak in a quick make-out session with my beautiful wife…It could've been so good. But I gave it up." Damon finishes his wistful vision sadly, a self-loathing frown on his beautiful features.

Bonnie doesn't say any thing. She hasn't said any thing in a while. So Damon continues on, pouring out _**his**_ heart, saying what he needs to say. Letting Bonnie know how much he _**regrets**_ the decision he'd made all those years ago, letting her know how utterly _**sorry**_ he is.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry, Bonnie." The vampire verbally says aloud, passionate eyes boring into Bonnie's beautiful orbs. "I know there's nothing I can do to make it up to you, nothing I can do to get back the time we've lost, but just know that I'm sorry." He tells her, shaking his head slightly and biting down on his top lip as he momentarily looks down at the ground in thought before bringing his gaze back up to Bonnie. "I made a stupid decision…and it cost me every thing. I'm sorry." He says before wrapping his arms around Bonnie and hugging her to him.

He knows Bonnie probably doesn't want to be held by him, but he _**needs**_ to hold her, _**needs**_ to feel her in his arms, and thankfully she doesn't push him away. He holds her close, holds her tight and nuzzles his head into the curls on her head, inhaling her scent, allowing himself to drown in her presence. He wills her to feel the sincerity of his apology, squeezes her waist slightly, willing her to at least _**try**_ to forgive him. And finally after about a minute of holding her, she slowly and hesitantly moves her hands up resting one on his back and running the other soothingly through his hair.

"Well isn't that touching?" a condescending voice breaks into the silence of the forest and both Bonnie and Damon open their eyes to see a smirking Katherine standing with a…"less than happy" looking Jackson. "You guys look cozy." The brunette woman comments, smile in place but eyes cold.

Bonnie immediately removes herself from Damon's embrace at the sight of her angry looking fiancé. Damn. She did _**not**_ need this today. After an emotionally trying day, the _**last**_ thing she needed was her fiancé being mad at her. And for no reason at that! _**Nothing**_ had happened!

"Time for dinner." The Latino vampire bites out, directing a death glare at Damon as Bonnie sighs inwardly. It was the _**last**_ thing she needed, but the _**first **_thing she got because damn it, Jackson was pissed, and it was obvious.

"Coming" the petite witch says quietly before walking towards Jackson and proceeding to walk back to the cabin with the vampire in extremely awkward, extremely _**tense**_ silence.

"Yeah" Damon echoes Bonnie's reply before trudging after the couple, Katherine in his wake.

"Finally," Stefan greets the foursome as they arrive at the cabin to see the gray eyed vampire, Elena, and Gabriel sitting around a campfire with plates of food and cups in hand…Well Elena and Gabriel have food, Stefan has fragments…"I tried to wait, but I was starving." The vampire shrugs sheepishly.

"He didn't really try that hard." Elena echoes, ruffling her husbands hair as she hands a cold sprite off to her best friend, frowning slightly as she does so.

The atmosphere around the four Supernatural is charged, _**extremely**_ charged, she can feel it, and is wondering what the heck is going on! She aims a questioning look at Bonnie whom deflects it with a slight head nod, eyes saying the ever familiar, "you don't want to know."

Elena takes her word for it and reclaims her seat next to Stefan on the boulder-made seats around the warm fire.

"Try the hotdogs; I made them!" Gabriel exclaims excitedly, pointing, from his spot next to Elena, over at the George Foreman Grill behind the four adults.

"Did you really?" Damon questions, tone proud and face skeptical.

"Well, I _**watched**_ them…" the blue-eyed boy admits, a small smile on his face.

"_**Hamburger**_ please." Katherine says loudly, pointedly, and proudly.

"Bitch" the hazel-eyed witch bites out in annoyance, receiving chuckles from everyone except Katherine, Jackson whom is still pissed, and Gabriel whom was not accustomed to hearing his mother swear.

"Excuse me?" the brunette vampire questions, tone menacing and threatening.

Bonnie ignores her, turning her attention instead to her son.

"Sorry baby." The mother apologizes for her foul slip up. She's just really tired and fed up with the female vampire. Tired and fed up _**period**_ actually.

"It's okay, mom." The young boy assures as Katherine silently fumes, pissed at being ignored. But everyone ignores the vampire's sour mood.

"I'm sure your hotdogs taste great, son. I'll take two!" Damon announces, making his way over to the grill and fixing up his plate.

As hungry as Bonnie is, she refrains from fixing her plate, thinking the _**last**_ thing Jackson needs to see is her with Damon again. She'll fix her plate later.

The witch takes a seat on a rather large and rather _**long**_ boulder and Jackson follows suit and sits next to her as she opens her cold beverage and gulps some of the liquid down, watching as a whining and frustrated Katherine follows Damon around the grill and small picnic table as he piles his plate with baked beans, potato salad, and chips.

"Mom! Aunt Lena taught me this _**really**_ fun card game earlier!" Gabriel suddenly exclaims, interrupting Bonnie's thoughts as he grins jovially at her. "You put down your twos and threes and stuff, and sometimes you have to _**lie**_ if you don't have none. And if someone's lying, you say _**BS!**_" the little boy yells excitedly before his grin falters slightly at the sight of his mother's "less than pleased" facial expression.

"You taught my son how to play _**BS?**_" Bonnie questions, looking at her best friend, eyes big and full of shock and horror.

"It's like one of the only card games I know! I forgot how to play Old Maid…" the beautiful brunette defends. "And we couldn't really play _**BS**_ because you need more than two players, but Gabe still seemed to like it despite that fact…" the brown-eyed woman rambles under her breath.

"See I would've expected this from _**that one over there,**_" Bonnie informs, pointing over at an approaching Damon who is now bending to take a seat on the long boulder across from Bonnie and Jackson and next to Stefan, Elena, and Gabriel who are sandwiched between the two pairs.

"Yeah that's totally something I'd do." The blue-eyed man smiles, nodding happily before suddenly rolling his eyes slightly as Katherine takes a seat next to him. And Bonnie's starting to think the man was _**definitely **_telling the truth about not liking the girl…

"I know, I'm sorry, but relax Bonnie!" Elena quickly asserts. "He doesn't even know what it _**means.**_" She assures.

"What, _**bullshit?**_"

"I'm going to knock her _**out!**_" Elena exclaims, glaring at the infuriating female vampire who directs a smug and challenging grin at her.

"Please do." Bonnie encourages, heart pumping angrily at the maddening supernatural

"_**Please**_ do." The hazel-eyed vamp echoes encouragingly, blatantly flashing her fangs as she does so.

"Oh but she will." Stefan deadpans matter-of-factly, directing a very _**non-friendly**_ smile at Katherine.

"Bring it" the cold-hearted female grins.

"How do you like the hotdogs dad?" Gabriel inserts in attempt to change the subject. He didn't like seeing his Aunt Elena upset. "They taste alright?" the little boy questions before yawning loudly at the end of his question.

"Aww. Looks like someone needs to go _**beddy bye.**_" Katherine coos, speaking to Gabriel as if he's a tiny little baby. The young boy frowns in response, making it a total of…well a _**unanimous**_ group of frowns.

"You ready for bed, sweetie?" Bonnie asks gently, opting, after an intense inward battle of wills, to ignore the vampire's words and focus on her son.

"Yes" the four year old replies, shocking all of the adults.

"Wow. I can't believe my ears." Bonnie smiles, grinning teasingly at her son who never _**wanted**_ to go to bed, who she sometimes had to literally _**force**_ to go to bed.

"I know! But I'm just so exhausted!" the curly haired boy replies. "It's been a long day!"

"Seriously, you didn't even do any thing but stay in the cabin." Katherine rattles off, looking boredly down at her freshly manicured nails.

"Seriously, shut up." Jackson echoes, speaking for the first time since their return to the cabin.

"Thanks, babe." Bonnie says appreciatively to the muscular man beside her before emerging from her seat. "C'mon Gabe. I'll tuck you in." she announces.

"No mommy!" Gabriel quickly objects. "Can Aunt Lane do it, _**please?**_ I want Aunt Lane tonight! She was telling me the story of how her and Uncle Stefan met, and how she found out he was a vampire and stuff!" the four year old gushes excitedly.

"Aw. He gets a bedtime story _**too?**_ Does he get a _**lullaby**_ as well? Go on Lena, sing him a lullaby!" Katherine rattles of dramatically.

"Don't call me Lena'." Elena coldly bites out.

"I'm sure Aunt Elena wants to spend time with Uncle Stefan, Gabriel…" Bonnie puts in to halt the impending argument between her best friend and her lookalike.

"No it's okay, Bonnie!" Elena quickly echoes the witch's words, standing swiftly from her seat and grabbing her nephew's hand. "I'll take him. _**Please**_ let me take him. Anything to get away from her. I can't _**stand**_ her. _**I can't stand you!**_" the brown eyed woman exclaims, looking directly at Katherine at her loud exclamation.

The woman in question points an incredulous finger at herself, an innocent and questioning look on her face.

"Yeah, you!" Elena exclaims and Damon stifles a laugh as Stefan emerges from his seat, a halting arm around his wife's waist and an amused grin on his face.

"I'll go with you." He tells Elena, not really wanting much himself to be around the vampire temptress.

"Okay." The beautiful brown eyed woman nods before turning her attention towards the older Salvatore brother. "Damon you've got to get rid of her." She tells him, lips in a stern straight line as she shakes her head for emphasis. "I don't know what you can do or say, but she's got to go or I'm gonna start pulling my hair out, trying to eat my fingers and crap. She'll drive me crazy, I swear!" she says before turning on her heels, Stefan and Gabriel in her wake. "I'll be in the house, away from _**her**_, if you need me. _**Get her out of here!**_" she yells over her shoulder before disappearing into the cabin.

"I don't think she likes me very much." Katherine announces, voice carefree as she winces dramatically at the sound of the loudly slamming cabin door.

"I don't think _**anyone**_ likes you." Bonnie clarifies.

"That's okay. I like me enough for everyone!" the vampire informs, smiling condescendingly at Bonnie who in turn rolls her eyes and emerges from her seat, finally making her way over to the grill for some much needed food.

Damon watches, growling under his breath as Jackson follows her to the picnic table.

"I'm sorry I got mad at you, Bon." Damon hears the vampire say, growing furious with rage. How dare this asshole call her _**Bon**_! "I know you'd never do any thing with that punk. I just saw ya'll hugging and I thought…" Jackson trails off.

"I love you Jackson; I would never cheat on you." Bonnie assures him softly, but to Damon it sounds more like she's trying to assure herself as she stares lovingly at her jackass.

"I know. I'm an idiot. I'm sorry…He just gets under my skin." Jackson bites out between clenched teeth. "I don't want to share you. I want you to myself." The Latino sighs before wrapping his arms tightly around Bonnie's waist and affectionately kissing the top of her head.

"And you've got me." Damon hears Bonnie whisper, making his heart rage with jealousy. "I'm all yours, only yours."

_The hell she is! _

Damon squeezes the semi-filled soda can in his hand, completely crushing it, obliterating it as he watches Bonnie kiss Jackson on the lips.

"Are you just going to sit idly by and watch her act all lovey-dovey with her boyfriend?" Katherine's voice invades his thoughts, sounding like the devil perched on his shoulder, whispering sinful words into his ears. "You've _**watched **_her do it this entire trip and it's really starting to make me sick."

Damon ignores the vampire's words and watches mutely as Jackson deepens the kiss and begins an all out make-out session with _**his**_ witch.

"You've got to show her what she's missing, Damon. Make her _**see**_ what she's passing up." Katherine continues to speak conspiratorially into his ear.

"Do you really think I'm _**that**_ stupid." Damon returns, eyes never leaving the kissing pair. "You don't want me and Bonnie together, and _**that**_ stupid plan will just result in nothing but Bonnie being royally pissed at me. Great plan…for you. No thanks." He hastily bites out, growing increasingly agitated and angry with each passing second.

"I never said it _**wouldn't**_ benefit me." Katherine points out. "Yes, I get the satisfaction of flaunting you in front of the bi-

"Watch it" Damon warns.

"_**Witch,**_" Katherine clarifies, rolling her eyes as she does so. "But _**you**_ get the real pay off because, yes she'll be _**pissed**_, but need I remind you anger is a _**strong**_, _**PASSIONATE**_ emotion…an emotion that can lead to other things…if you know what I mean…" the dark haired woman continues enticingly.

"Yeah – _**no" **_Damon shoots.__ "I'm not falling for your little scheme, Katherine. Bonnie and I are on pretty good terms right now and we're going to _**stay**_ that way." The rogue vampire informs defiantly before his ears perk at the sight of Bonnie's moan as he watches the witch work her hands into the Latino's hair, moving yet even closer into his embrace. And Damon loses it. He literally sees red.

The vampire abruptly grabs the side of Katherine's face and crashes his lips into hers. He kisses her roughly, immediately taking control of the kiss, moving his tongue into her mouth and eliciting and immediate moan from the woman.

He can't believe Bonnie. He knows that a certain amount of PDA is to be expected from her because she's engaged, but she _**KNOWS**_ how he feels about her. _**She knows!**_ And yet she still proceeds to make out with this other guy as if he was gonna die within the next hour and this was her last chance to kiss him!

Damon could no longer watch it. And what better way to distract himself than this? If Bonnie just so happened to be bothered by this, _**good for him!**_

He kisses Katherine relentlessly, unmercifully, meeting her tongue with his, lips attacking hers, tongue attacking hers, one hand on her face and the other on her waist.

"Mmm, that's real good, Damon. Make her pay for playing mind games with you." The female vampire breathes into their kiss. "Yeah, show her what she's missing." She urges him on before moaning loudly.

Bonnie opens her eyes at the sound of the loud moan, eyes landing on the kissing couple before her and the witch freezes. She stops kissing Jackson and she freezes, eyes unable to look away from the pair before her, no matter how badly she wants to. Her heart speeds and Bonnie doesn't know why but it hurts. It hurts a lot.

"Hey. Don't let him bother you." Jackson coos gently into her ear before capturing her lips once more.

Bonnie kisses him with newfound determination, determination to block Damon out, to _**forget**_ that he's a mere 10 feet away from her, wildly and passionately kissing another woman, forget Damon Salvatore _**altogether.**_

Damon's eyes shoot open as a mass of emotions crash into him, emotions that are clearly not his own, emotions of a more _**feminine**_ nature. What he sees when he opens his eyes however, make him forget the onslaught of emotions he'd previously felt and focus once more on kissing Katherine, ridding his mind of the infuriating witch.

"Mmm…Jackson I love you so much. I'm so happy we're together." Bonnie breathes into her and Jackson's kiss, focusing on her words, willing them to wash over her. It was better this way, better that she be with Jackson, and she _**did**_ love him, very much.

"What do you say we head inside and play a little game of strip poker? Or we could just strip _**out here**_…" Katherine's loud and husky voice invades Bonnie's senses, and the witch loses it.

"Oh my goodness, could you really be more sleazy?" the caramel skinned woman questions suddenly, abruptly ending her and Jackson's kiss to direct a disgusted look at the woman fused to her ex.

"Are you talking to me?" the vampire asks breaking away from her and Damon's delicious kiss, perfectly arched eyebrow in place and smirk across her lips as she eyes Bonnie with victorious and taunting eyes.

"Well I'm not talking to _**myself**_." The witch lividly replies, jaw clenched tightly and chest heaving in anger. "Goodness just pathetic!" she bites out, nostrils flaring at the female vampire.

"Oooh, the witch has some spunk." Katherine smiles, grin condescending and slightly disgruntled.

"Oooh the vampire's really _**stupid**_ for pointing out the obvious." Bonnie returns.

"Cute"

"No. Fine." Bonnie corrects.

"Bonnie don't." Jackson interjects, rolling his eyes slightly, already fed up with the argument and wondering why his girlfriend is so worked up in the first place. "She isn't worth it." he sighs.

"She can speak for herself. Geez!" Damon scoffs angrily, incredulously before looking pointedly at Bonnie. "You can't even have a _**conversation**_ without monkey ass butting in!"

"Oh I'm a monkey am I?" the Latino questions, threatening tone in his voice. "What does that make you then, a skinny little bitch?" he questions, a small, menacing smile on his face.

"You did _**not**_ just call me a bitch."

"I didn't?" Jackson scratches his head in faux confusion. "I meant to." He clarifies. "You're a _**bitch**_, Damon." He bites out, and all hell breaks loose.

Damon and Jackson start in on each other, laying verbal insult after verbal insult, making stabs at the other about their relationship with Bonnie, and they would be _**fighting**_ if Bonnie's hand wasn't held up towards them, keeping an invisible force field between the two as she battles it out _**herself**_ with Katherine.

She lays in on the vampire, telling her what she _**really**_ thinks about her, throwing hurt and harsh insults and still not fully getting out what she wants to say to the woman because she can only concentrate on Damon and the immense anger she is feeling towards him.

Finally, she locks eyes with the vampire in question and says very lowly under her breath, "You. Grill. Now."

At the nonnegotiable order, Damon abruptly breaks away from Jackson and Bonnie does the same with Katherine, storming over to the grill. The other supernaturals in question barely seem to notice the abrupt exit of their sparring partners and instead lay right on in to each other.

"Oh! Mr. Muscles! I've been _**aching**_ to have a word with _**you!**_" Katherine exclaims, swiftly coming to stand before the Latino vampire.

"Well what a coincidence; I've been _**aching**_ to talk to you too, Ms. Sleep around!" Jackson angrily throws back.

"Ha! A comedian! – _**First of all**_, lay off of my boyfriend. He could kick your ass in a second; _**did you know that?**_" the vampiress exclaims viciously.

"And my girlfriend could kick _**your**_ ass in a second, without even moving a _**finger**_; did you know _**THAT?**_" a furious Jackson yells back.

About 10 feet away, at the Barbeque grill, Bonnie and Damon merely glare at one another, neither saying a word, neither moving, they just _**glare**_, and if looks could kill!

Then, finally, when Bonnie seems on the verge of _**exploding**_ out of frustration…

"You really are a piece of work, you know that?" the green eyed woman exclaims, eyes and voice accusing as she runs her hands over her face before working them into her hair and pulling slightly at her curly locks, anger and frustration evident on her face.

"Oh _**I'M**_ a piece of work?" Damon fires back instantly, face and tone the epitome of the word "incredulous." "Well if I'm a piece of work then – then you're a _**pile**_ of work! A big…huge, _**massive PILE!"**_ the vampire sputters helplessly, aggravated, angry, and more than a little worked up.

"That makes no sense!"

"No, _**you**_ make no sense!"

Damon inwardly groans at the sound of himself. '_**Massive PILE?**_...No! _**You**_ make no sense!' Where the heck were his comebacks, his witty and snarky replies? _**NOT HERE!**_ _**Clearly**_ not here! Apparently he was _**way**_ too worked up to create them!

"You've got serious problems." Bonnie tells the vampire in response to his previous and childish response, voice calming slightly as she just looks at Damon through narrowed eyes and shakes her head in a somewhat pitying way.

"NO, _**you've**_ got serious problems!" Damon shouts.

Again, _**really? What the heck?**_

"Yeah, and you're the biggest one!" the witch suddenly shouts angrily, calm demeanor disappearing as she, in the figurative term, explodes, seemingly at wits ends with the infuriating vampire.

It is silent after this. Bonnie's harsh words seem to take Damon by surprise and the blue eyed man silences, chewing on his bottom lip, eyes cast down as if he's in deep concentration. Then…

"Well at least I come _**first!**_" The rogue vampire replies with a light carefree tone in his voice as he shrugs his shoulders dismissively and smiles slightly at his witch who in turn groans loudly and rakes a hand through her hair once more, a sure sign of her frustration, although sometimes it's done out of nervousness; but for some reason, Damon doesn't seem to think it's a nervous tick this time…

"Gosh! Must you always behave like an immature _**child?**_" Bonnie exclaims, throwing her arms up into the air as she speaks, asking the heavens why they've cursed her so to be bothered by a man with the maturity level of an eight year old. Really? 'At least I come first?'

"Me? _**Me?**_" Damon sputters, shocked and incredulous. "_**I'm**_ not the one who was all, _**oh Jackson I love you so much, I'm so glad we're together!**_" Damon mocks, eyes intense and quite visibly pissed off. "Trying to broadcast your pathetic relationship with him? Pretty darn _**childish,**_ Bon_**!**_" he spits out, voice venomous.

"Yeah, well who was the one sucking faces with some _**slut**_, cause it sure wasn't me!" Bonnie shoots back passionately after a moment of flabbergasted silence.

"_**And who was the one striving to invent a new definition for the term PDA?**_" Damon roars back without a moment's hesitance.

"He's my _**fiancé!" **_Bonnie shouts back, anger now clearly written on her face as well as she glares at the man in front of her. "I have the right to as much _**PDA**_ with him as I want." She bites out, voice more calm but her anger still basically radiating off of her. "What's your excuse for making out with "Kitty Kat," huh?" she adds, arching a challenging eyebrow.

"Don't worry about it." Damon tells her. And Bonnie's anger reaches a new high.

'Don't worry about it? Don't _**freak**_in worry about it?' That's her answer?

"_**Gosh, you are such a liar!**_" the petite witch exclaims, simultaneously shoving at Damon's chest. He barely moves but she doesn't care, doesn't even notice really. She storms a couple of feet past him and crosses her arms over her chest angrily. "I thought you said you didn't _**like **_Katherine. You lied." He hears her bite out, anger and something else in her voice.

"_**I DON'T!**_" Damon argues.

"Well _**NORMAL**_ people don't make-out with people they don't _**like!**_" she yells, swiftly turning around to face him as she does, before sighing and running a hand through her hair before looking away from the vampire, a look of slight embarrassment on her face. "Who am I kidding, you're not normal; you're an evil monster!" she exclaims, inwardly and outwardly fuming.

"And you're _**pathetic!**_" Damon throws back. He's not the only one who is wrong in this situation, and he hasn't forgotten what _**Bonnie**_ did! Not by a long shot! "Literally _**YELLING**_ to broadcast your relationship with Jackson?" he questions, tone knowing and face sneering. "You were clearly trying to make me jealous. Cheap shot. Very pathetic." He tells her, voice cold and eyes filled with…emotion.

"You're out of your damn mind. Why the heck would I try to make you jealous?" Bonnie dismisses, voice and tone cold and carelessly.

"I don't know. You tell me." Damon shoots back, unharmed by her harsh words. "Seemed like you were a little bothered by me kissing Katherine…" he says, voice knowing and eyes challenging.

"What?" Bonnie questions in astonishment before sputtering slightly. "My gosh! It's like you live in your own alternate reality!" she exclaims eyes staring at Damon with wide eyes of wonder and slight fear. But soon her green orbs turn cold and hard. "I don't care what you _**do**_ or do not do with that slut. You can marry her for all I care!" the petite witch informs in clipped tones. And if looks could kill, well you know…Damon would be staked and gone.

"That's the second time you've called Katherine a slut." The brunette in question informs, a huge smirk on his face. "Why so hostile?" he questions, all out grinning now.

"I'm not." Bonnie growls lowly. "I don't like her." The angry woman says between tightly clenched teeth.

"WHY?" Damon questions, grin still in place as he eyes the woman before him with eyes of wonder…and slight amusement (which _**really**_ pisses Bonnie off). "Why do you dislike her so much?" the vampire reiterates, arching a daring eyebrow at the stubborn, infuriated woman before him.

"She's a bitch." Bonnie bites out, and Damon laughs humorously.

"She is, isn't she." He smiles, before his face becomes serious and he fixes Bonnie with a knowing look. "But you're lying." The blue-eyed man informs. "Not only are you lying to me, but you're lying to yourself." He announces before his trademark smirk returns with a vengeance, it even appears to be somewhat taunting, and Bonnie is _**really VERY**_ pissed off by the sight of it. "Katherine's bitchy demeanor is not the sole reason why you hate her so much." Damon rattles off, carelessly staring at his nails before directing a pointed gaze at his witch, who in turn rolls her eyes.

"I just _**said**_ it is," the beautiful witch says in response to Damon's previous statement, speaking to the man as if he is incompetent and unable to comprehend. "But obviously you aren't getting this so…I'm done talking to you." Bonnie announces before abruptly turning on her heels and taking a retreating step towards Jackson and Katherine. Perhaps she could pry her fiance away from the female bloodsucker and they could go to bed, perhaps even let all of their anger and frustrations out in some steamy, much-needed love-making…

"No." Damon objects calmly. "You're _**scared**_, so you're done talking to me." The vampire corrects. But Bonnie continues to make her way towards her boyfriend and his verbal sparring partner, ignoring the vampire's previous words. "You're running away…like a coward."

Bonnie stops in her tracks. A coward? Had he really just called her a coward? What the heck did he think she was afraid of? Him?

Anger surges through the witch's blood, radiates from every pore on her skin as she closes her eyes tightly and sucks in a deep breath before letting it out. Her eyes suddenly open abruptly and she spins around on her heel.

"Speak, Damon. _**Damn it**_, just speak." She tells the vampire, nearly huffing in anger. "What else have you got to say?" she questions lividly. "Get your _**insane**_ assumptions off you're chest while I'm here!" she exclaims, chest heaving as she struggles to catch her breath.

"You're jealous."

Wow.

"You're _**jealous**_ of my _**"relationship"**_ with Katherine." The vampire clarifies, using actual air quotes as he says "relationship."

Wow. Really?

"Wow." Bonnie finally _**verbally**_ lets out slowly, staring at the man before her in utter astonishment of how _**dumb**_ he is. "Now why would I be jealous of _**any thing**_ you and _**Kat**_ have, when I've got _**JACKSON?"**_ she questions, face and tone mocking, condescending, and cold. "Clearly I've got nothing to be jealous of –

"I _**felt**_ you." Damon interrupts, quickly and affectively silencing the raving woman. "I felt your envy, felt your _**jealousy**_ crashing into me like a freight train, while I was kissing Katherine." He informs before directing a cold and taunting smile at the witch. "Might wanna get a better handle on your emotions. You're not keeping them in check that well." He can't help but tease, a little pissed at Bonnie for speaking such harsh words and lying, trying to deny him.

Bonnie doesn't say any thing. She's quiet. He's rendered her speechless. _What do you have to say now? No more lies? _Damon thinks victoriously in his head. Then suddenly…

"I'm done talking to you." The little witch announces, hurt evident in her voice as she abruptly turns on her heels and walks away, and Damon runs a frustrated hand over his face, groaning in aggravation. Perhaps he'd taken it too far with the taunting…

"Bonnie, wait." The vampire sighs, walking after Bonnie, who only quickens her pace, disappearing further into the woods.

"I'm not talking to you anymore!" the witch shouts never slowing down her determined steps.

"Don't do this Bonnie." Damon attempts weakly, still following behind a swiftly moving Bonnie.

"Stop following me, Damon." The beautiful woman bites out angrily, still moving through the forest.

"Don't do this." Damon says, more firmly this time, reaching his arm out and wrapping a gently, yet halting hand around Bonnie's wrist. "Don't run away from this. Don't run away from us." He begs, moving so that he is standing in front of the witch, the two now completely immersed and lost in the array of woods. "I made that mistake already, five years ago. Don't you do it now." He says, eyes boring into hers and begging her to stay and not run away.

"I don't wanna do this." The petite witch whispers brokenly, staring down at the forest floor. "I don't want this, Damon." She says softly, and it breaks Damon's heart how defeated she sounds.

"Is that your _**head**_ or your _**heart**_ talking?" he challenges unmercifully.

"Both" Bonnie breathes out in despair, and Damon runs a frustrated hand through his hair.

"Bonnie, I messed up. I know I messed up, _**big**_ time." He attempts once more, before taking a deep breath. "You're head is telling you to be smart, not fall for me twice…and your heart is so completely terrified to even open up to me, let alone give itself back to me." He says softly, quietly. "I get it. Trust me, Bonnie; I get it."

"I don't want to talk about this, Damie."

Her soft pleading words break his heart, and the sound of the old nickname for him on her lips shatters it into pieces.

"We've got to, Bon!" Damon returns passionately, grip tightening on her arm and eyes intense and passionate. "If we don't…I think we're gonna lose." He tells her, finally letting go of her. "We're gonna lose us, Bonnie. That's something I will NOT let happen." he softly informs her.

"It's already happened, Damon. Just let it go." The hazel eyed woman begs, eyes fixed on the ground.

"No. No, Bon." He tells her, moving her chin up so that she is looking into his eyes and shaking his head defiantly. "I'm not letting it go; I'm not letting _**you**_ go. It hasn't happened yet." He tells her. "We're not lost."

"…Sometimes you look at me…and I see it." he says softly, gently wiping away her now flowing tears with the pad of his thumb. "I see the love, the love I know must be in my eyes, the love that used to be in your eyes for me." He tells her, now full out caressing her cheeks, and wiping away the tears that seep through her eyes. "I see it in your eyes sometimes…just a glimmer of it." he whispers as he hears a heartbreaking sob escape his witch's lips.

"I get it, Bonnie. You're protecting yourself." He continues with determination, finally lowering his hand from her face. "I don't blame you for that; I understand, but damn it you're _**so**_ closed off I'm afraid I'll _**never **_be able to get in." he says, azure eyes shining and pleading to her. "I'll fight forever though, if I have to. I'll fight forever for _**you**_, Bonnie…go to the ends of the earth, cause you're worth it. I love you."

"Don't say that, Damon, please." Bonnie attempts desperately, shaking her head, teary hazel eyes begging. "Stop. Just stop."

"I can't stop, Bonnie!" Damon returns passionately. "I love you. And I can't stop so _**please**_…don't ask me to." He says, taking a step closer to Bonnie and grabbing her hand, kissing the back of it, wrenching his eyes closed as he does so. "I love you. I want you, _**only**_ you, forever." He tells her firmly, passionately.

"It's too late for us. I've moved on, Damon, with Jackson…" Bonnie weakly replies, moving her hand out of his grasp.

"Fuck Jackson." Damon bites out, a slight anger overcoming him at the mere thought of the other man. "Just give us a _**chance.**_" He begs. "Give _**me**_ a chance. I love you, Bonnie. Let me in; stop fighting me."

"I can't. I don't wanna –

Silenced.

Bonnie Bennett is completely silenced as soft pink lips crash into hers, claiming them in a passionate kiss.

And every thing stops. Surroundings disappear, nightly sounds are unheard; the only thing heard is the heavily pounding hearts of the witch and the vampire.

Damon's soft lips press against Bonnie's in a soft chaste kiss, which the blue eyed man quickly deepens, needing to be closer to his witch, placing more pressure and more feeling into their lip-lock.

And Bonnie instantly loses it. Her eyebrows furrow and instead of pushing him away, throwing Damon off of her and yelling at him in a fit of anger, like she wants to do; she clings to him. She clings to Damon as if her very life depends on it, as if she'd die if their kiss were to end.

A soft whimper escapes the witch's mouth as she grabs a fist full of the vampire's shirt and pulls him into her, holding Damon closely to her. And now it's Damon's turn to lose it as the soft yet familiar sound of Bonnie's whimper penetrates his acute hearing.

Damon moves his tongue into Bonnie's mouth, arms simultaneously encircling her waist as he kisses her wildly, passionately, desperately, putting all of his pent up frustrations into it, putting every bit of love and passion he feels for Bonnie into the kiss. His hands roam her back, move through her hair, caress her waist. He can't seem to feel enough of her. He can't seem to get close enough to her. He wants more, needs more, but right now this is more than enough because he's kissing Bonnie.

For the first time in five years, he's kissing Bonnie. His Bonnie. And his soul is on fire. This is the most alive he's felt in what seems like forever. He's kissing Bonnie. Bonnie's kissing him. And Damon thinks he may actually die because he's never been so happy, never felt so warm, so content. This is where he belongs, in Bonnie's arms, and she belongs in his.

The hazel eyed beauty of a witch, kisses Damon passionately, putting every thing she has into their kiss. She doesn't know what's happening, what's gotten into her. All she knows is that she needs this. She needs to feel Damon, needs to feel his arms around her, needs to feel his lips against hers. She feels she may die if she doesn't. She's never needed something so badly in her life.

She finds herself drowning, suffocating in Damon as she wraps her arms tightly around his neck. And she's never felt so good. So complete.

The two Supernaturals kiss, both needing air but neither willing to stop their kiss, neither willing to end this perfect moment of sinful bliss. They cling to each other, holding one another as close as possible, so that nothing can come between them, nothing can break them apart. They are so close they can feel the others heartbeat, oddly enough they seem to be beating together in time, a sure signal of how interconnected the soul mates are. But neither Bonnie nor Damon notice because at this point they are lost, lost in the other, lost in their passion, their love, their kiss.

Damon growls angrily, frustrated that he needs air, frustrated because he knows their perfect moment is coming to an end. He relishes the feeling of his and Bonnie's tongues back together, fighting for dominance, dancing a spontaneous and spirited dance. He relishes the feel of his tongue in her warm mouth. It's been way too long. Oh has he missed this.

With a large intake of breath, Bonnie's lips finally leave Damon's, her tongue leaves his mouth, and Damon hates it. He pants heavily, chest heaving as he watches Bonnie do the same. The witch's eyes dart to several places, refusing to land on his. Damon supposes she's experiencing some regret, but Damon doesn't care. He doesn't regret this, and he's not going to let Bonnie's possible regret put a damper on the immense elation he feels.

He leans down slowly, capturing Bonnie's swollen lips in one more chaste kiss, arms wrapping tighter around her waist as he holds her to him, refusing to let go.

_Something always brings me back to you_

_It never takes too long…_

**Author's note:**** Oh my goodness you guys have NO idea how scared I am about this chapter! I'm extremely afraid that I rushed it! Some of the parts I've been working on for months, and some I've been thinking up and just wrote TODAY with absolutely NO proof-read! I'm terrified that you guys will hate that Chapter and I'd feel absolutely horrible if you did because it's been such a LONG wait for you! I really want you to love this chapter, but I'm TERRIFIED that that will not be the case! **

**I apologize from the bottom of my heart for not proof-reading as much as I should have. And I apologize for making you guys wait so PAINSTAKINGLY long in the first place. You guys are wonderful and I'm so utterly privileged to have each and every one of you as readers. Thank you for making this story such a joy and necessity to write. I am truly blessed to have you guys. Please review. I'm sorry if you hated this chapter! So sorry if you were majorly let down! I love you guys and can't wait to hear from you! God bless! **


	10. Chapter 8

**Author's note: ****Not really gonna write a lot here! It's been a LONG couple of days, and I know it's been a LONG wait for you guys so I won't keep you from reading this update! I must say though, I was thinking about it earlier today and it just REALLY crashed into me how blessed I am to have SO many devoted readers! The fact that you guys are reading this story, and actually ENJOYING it (in fact I believe it's some of you guy's FAVORITE Bamon which is UNBELIEVABLE and more FLATTERING than you guys will ever know!) A LOT? Man it really is ENCOURAGING! Makes me think that maybe I DO have a future in this venue! Any ways, there's more of me gushing in the bottom Author's note, plenty of apologies for the long wait as well, but for now I just wanted to say THANKS. Thanks for all of the love and support, ALL of you! You'll never know how much it truly means to me! You're the best! God bless, and enjoy!**

**Below is a message to ****Raven! ****I wrote it in the previous Author's note I wrote but I'm not sure if you read it because you didn't say nothing about it! Wanted to be sure you read what I wrote you so I'm including it below in this Chapter! God bless! Hope you enjoy the Chapter! It's LONG, hope that makes up for the delay! Lol. A gift to help celebrate the VD season premiere! God bless!**

**Bamon: Chapter 8**

**WHAT THE HECK? WHAT…THE…HECK? ****What the heck had happened? **

This is the question that keeps swirling around in Bonnie's head; rhetorical really because she **knows** **WHAT HAPPENED!**

She'd given in; she'd forfeited, she'd _**surrendered.**_

She and Damon had kissed. And it had been so…_**passionate**_, so mind blowing, so unbelievably perfect, so…_**scary**_, so _**terrifyingly**_ scary. Being in his arms again, feeling the slip and literal _**loss**_ of control of herself and her _**heart**_; it was _**terrifying.**_

So she'd left; she'd ran (what else could she do?)…_**but**_…the damage was already done. Damon had kissed her, and she'd let him… she'd kissed him back. And now it was _**all**_ she could _**THINK**_ about.

Even as she "sleeps" in Jackson's arms (using the quotes because really how could _**anyone**_ sleep after such a mind-boggling night of confusion, confession, and forbidden encounters?), listening to the birds chirp as the sun creeps over the horizon, she can still feel the tingle on her lips, the tingle she always feels after kissing _**him.**_

It's really quite _**frustrating** _and _**maddening**_ the way she can still feel his soft, full, and skilled lips on top of hers, can still feel his tongue in her mouth wreaking utter havoc on her senses; it's almost like its _**still**_ happening, occurring on an endless loop!

She can still feel his strong arms wrapped tightly, possessively, almost punishing around her, holding her close, desperately. She can still smell him, feel his presence around her…see the pained, dejected look he wore when she'd hastily left, mumbling something about how she couldn't _**"do this right now."**_

She couldn't! It was wrong…no matter how _**right**_ it felt in the moment, no matter how _**perfect**_ it felt, no matter how utterly _**mandatory**_ it had _**seemed**_; it wasn't what she _**wanted**_, and it was wrong. She was _**engaged**_; she had a fiancé! And there she was, kissing another man. _**Wrong, wrong, WRONG!**_ She loved Jackson. She loved him! She couldn't do this to him; it was wrong. The kiss was wrong!

Then why had it felt so right?

And why was _**this**_: her in Jackson's arms, starting to feel wrong?

_**Why couldn't she stop thinking about him? **_Why couldn't she stop thinking about their _**kiss**_; and _**WHY**_…

Why could she seemingly not even manage to summon a _**single OUNCE** _of regret over the forbidden action?

Why could she not bring herself to regret their kiss? _**Not even a little bit?**_ It was wrong, incredibly wrong to _**Jackson**_ and she _**hates**_ that…but she still can't bring herself to regret it, to wish it hadn't happened. And this scares the life out of her.

She's falling, _**nose diving** _actually, into Damon's gravity, plummeting into what was sure to be an ill fate. He's inching his way into her heart all over again, just as he'd done all those years ago; and just like back then, she can't seem to stop him. Can't seem to stop her emotions from building, her heart from swelling, can't seem to stop herself from falling; and she is indeed _**FALLING.**_

She's falling back in love with Damon. The thought pains her but she's sure of it. She's falling in love with him…_**again.**_ And the sad thing was that if Bonnie thought on it, she'd admit that she'd been falling back in love with him for quite some time, _**far**_ before their kiss. Their kiss had merely _**sealed the deal**_ and helped to quicken the digging up of her deeply buried feelings to the point where Bonnie was now suffocating, suffocating from the force of her feelings for Damon.

She's drowning in her suffocating emotions, being pulled, forced uncontrollably down a wild river current, going some where she doesn't want to go, somewhere she _**can't**_ go, but can't seem to stop herself from going. It was terrifying, _**horrifying**_…and a little exciting.

But more than a little _**confusing…**_

She was in love…with _**two**_ men. Yes, she was in _**love** _with Jackson. She'd stated it time and time again and she'd meant it. But she loved Damon as well; even _**she**_ could no longer deny this. She was in _**love**_ with Damon, probably had never fallen out of love with Damon. She loved him…very much…but this didn't change the fact that she had feelings for Jackson as well.

These were unchartered waters for Bonnie. Being in love with two men was something Elena was more familiar with, something Bonnie was unaccustomed to. But she can't deny it any longer; she loves them both. So what was she to do?

Even as she asks the question, she already knows the answer.

Marry Jackson.

She_** has **_to marry Jackson. As much as she loves _**Damon**_; she _**has**_ to be with Jackson. She loves him. He's the one she _**wants**;_ he's the one she _**needs.**_ Their future is bright, beautiful. He's wonderful to her; he loves her; she loves him.

Her and Damon's ship has sailed, and she knows this; she's positive of it. And it's _**high time**_ she moved on, picked up her life. She needs to – _**wants **_tomove on from Damon, start a future without him. A future with Jackson…Damon free.

But for some reason she has this sinking feeling in her gut that there is no future for her without him.

******DS******

Damon sits on the living room couch of the cabin, hands propped behind his head, and a _**very**_ goofy grin in place as he stares dazedly at the ceiling of the room.

He's on cloud nine right now, actually cloud _**ten.**_ He's on _**top of the world** _as he relives his and Bonnie's mind-blowing kiss from the previous night.

Yes, Bonnie did leave abruptly last night, and yes that was a letdown that should probably have him in a somewhat sour mood; but damn it they'd **kissed.**

He'd kissed her, and damn it Bonnie had kissed back!

After over **five years**, he'd kissed her, held her in his arms; and it was…amazing. So **amazing **in fact, that he's resolved to let the **memory** of it play endlessly in his head for the entire morning, maybe even the entire **day.** What an amazing thought to have consume you…that kiss…

He can **still** smell her intoxicating lavender/jasmine scent, can still feel it all around him, surrounding him, washing over him.

He can still feel her soft skin beneath his fingertips, swears he's addicted to touching her, wants nothing more than to touch and feel her, hold her. He still remembers the way their bodies were pressed together, so close, so close nothing could get between them; they'd fit perfectly. Her body molded perfectly into his, just as it had before. Even better, in fact.

And my gosh, the actual **kiss!** Damon thinks he'll have to stop reminiscing it or he'll probably have a heart attack from the thought of the earth-shattering bliss.

He'd clung to her, and she'd clung to him, holding him passionately, desperately, as if they'd **die** if they were to let go. And their lips had meshed together, hers full and swollen and pressing into his with passion, yearning, want, **need.**

Their tongues had battled, his happy and elated to finally be back in her warm mouth. They'd dueled and danced, fiery and hot, consuming the other until it all, sadly, had to stop.

But it'd **happened.** It had indeed happened! They'd kissed! And it was hot, life-changing, **inspiring** because she **did** still love him; he'd felt her fiery affections nearly **plowing** into him as he'd held her. She loved him…hopefully. (He's still a bit doubtful. How she could love him so somewhat easily after all he'd done is beyond him!) She had to! Either way last night had given him the motivation he'd needed. It'd lifted his spirits exponentially and now had him ready to put **all** of his cards on the table, every thing he had to offer! He was ready to fight to the **finish**, do **any thing** and **every thing** to get Bonnie back!

He was even **more** in love with her it seemed; though he thought it impossible, every **day** he seemed to fall more in love with this woman.

**So** in love that if he weren't so elated at the moment, he'd feel the sting of the pain and longing from being away from her, from having her walk away from him last night, because he so desperately **needs** her. He'd feel the sting from the pain of feeling all of this **love** and **passion** but having no where to put it. But alas, he's too joyously dazed and filled with the fact that they'd **KISSED** to think of this.

Now if he could just figure out what to do next…

"What's with the Cheshire cat grin?"

Damon's thoughts are interrupted by the sudden entrance of his brother.

The blue eyed vampire looks up and lazily eyes the man who is standing before him wearing a bemused expression with a knowing twinkle in his eyes.

"That's for me to know and for you to dot, dot, dot…" the older Salvatore rattles of without commitment, a slight smile on his lips.

"Ooh, re-using old dialogue, brother? Something's definitely got your mind distracted. I won't press." Stefan lightly teases, an eyebrow arched in interest of his brother's previous statement and obvious happy mood. But he decides to spare him for the moment, eyes sparkling mischievously all the while.

"Good, cause I don't kiss and tell."

The younger Salvatore freezes for a moment, non-moving, as their teasing demeanor suddenly evaporates into the air. His eyes narrow and he stares down his seemingly calm and cool brother with scrutinizing orbs, after finally being over the initial shock of Damon's nonchalant statement. Stefan knew something **good** had happened to Damon, but him and Bonnie kissing? Would Bonnie actually **allow** him to kiss her? No!

"Yeah, whatever Damon." Stefan finally responds to his brother, face full of bored disbelief as he rolls his eyes at his older sibling and heads into the kitchen.

"I know, **whatever**, Stefan." Damon echoes, smirking to himself, having known that Saint Stefan wouldn't believe his quite luckily **truthful** statement.

The dark haired vampire emerges from the couch, taking note that Bonnie is now out of bed and taking a shower. **Finally. **He smiles to himself at the realization, before making his way into the kitchen for a bowl of Cap N' Crunch.

"So Stefo, what are the plans for today?" Damon asks, heading to the refrigerator to retrieve his breakfast.

Stefan bites down on his bottom lip from his spot over by the stove where he's setting out the ingredients for what looks to be pancakes and eggs.

"I don't know. Um I suppose we should devise a plan to…I don't know lead the Sorcerer here." The younger Salvatore says slowly in a calculating tone.

To him, it seemed as if they were so well camouflaged that the Sorcerer would **never** find them, which **would** be a good thing except their lives were in **Mystic Falls.** They couldn't hide out in Italy forever. So it seemed to be a good idea to lead the Sorcerer to them and ambush him, set up a trap.

"It would be an advantage to fight on our own turf. I'd suggest going back to Mystic, but this place is so much more secluded. Innocents won't get hurt." Stefan explains to Damon, growing increasingly satisfied and relieved with the advantages of his plan.

Damon chews on his top lip thoughtfully. He'd been mulling over the thought of **them going after** the Gin Sorcerer, seeing as they were now prepared to fight him, but this plan right here…

"Ambush him on our own grounds…" the blue-eyed vamp muses aloud before staring at his brother and grinning in a scheming manner. "I like it. Great idea, Stef." He says, patting his brother on the back as he makes his way to the kitchen table, cereal and milk in hand.

"Well I am the smart one." Stefan smiles.

"Don't get carried away, brother." Damon admonishes, sending his trademark smirk over to his admittedly genius sibling, before munching into the sweet deliciousness of his favorite cereal, simultaneously smiling to himself as he thinks back to times when Bonnie would encourage him to try a more healthy cereal, claiming fiercely that Frosted Mini Wheats were SO better tasting. She'd always cared so much about his health. But he was a vampire! He couldn't die from **poor health habits**, and nothing beat the Captain!

He'd give any thing to have her scold him about it right now though...

"Okay. Well I guess we'll be making plans today." Stefan announces decisively after chuckling slightly at his brother's previous and typical words.

"Agreed" Damon echoes around a mouth full of cereal as he sits up straighter in his seat, taking note that the sounds of the running shower have stopped. He anxiously wonders if Bonnie might actually venture **out** of her room, or stay hidden away in there like she has the entire morning, similar to the way she's been hiding her thoughts from him.

The blue eyed vampire scratches the bottom of his chin, hand moving over the small amount of hairs he has there as he thoughtfully munches on his cereal.

He'd been awake since 6 o' clock that morning and Bonnie had to, but she hadn't come out of her room. But he knew she was awake because, though he couldn't read her thoughts because, much to his frustration, she was **fiercely** working at blocking him out again, he'd heard her breathing, and after being with someone for a certain amount of time: knowing them, loving them, watching them, like Damon had with Bonnie, you notice certain things like breathing patterns.

Long story short, Damon knew Bonnie like the back of his hand and knew, merely by hearing her breathe that though her breathing was soft and quiet, she was not asleep.

He'd been waiting for her to get out of bed since early that morning, waiting to talk to her about what'd happened the previous night. If only she'd come out of hiding!

Damon silently prays that she doesn't discard their kiss, act like it never happened; he doesn't know if he can take that, doesn't think he can take that.

And right at that moment, almost as if on cue, a ruckus is heard throughout the house as bedroom doors fly open and feet scramble across the floor until Elena, Gabriel, and Bonnie enter the kitchen, a sleepy looking Jackson trailing behind them.

Elena, Bonnie, and Gabriel are fully dressed, Jackson is shirtless, wearing only his long pajama pants, and Damon has to swallow the anger that surges through him at the reminder that this man is sleeping in the same bed with **his** witch…**every night.** It is a **MADDENING** thought.

A low growl rumbles out of the vampire's throat and Stefan looks at him questioningly, but Damon snarls in return, not noticing his brother's attention, as his eyes narrow at the sudden smug smirk on Jackson's face.

Damon swears he will **kill** this man.

He huffs furiously before ripping his eyes off of the vampire and eyeing Bonnie.

The little witch is wearing a form-fitting, white tank with khaki pants, a pair of tiny hoops in her ears. It's a simple get up but Damon finds it absolutely breath-taking. He literally feels as if the breath is being knocked out of him at the sight of her. He's always thought the color white looked amazing on her, but that, put together with her loose and wild curls (just the way he likes it) is awing. She's so beautiful that he can hardly stand it. He just wants to touch her, and kiss her, and hold her, and fuck her. Make love to her.

He watches her as she moves around the kitchen, joking with Stefan and Elena about something that he doesn't care to listen to, her beautiful green eyes sparkling as she speaks, her beautiful smile warming his heart and seemingly bringing light to the entire room. Gosh he's hopeless. And he knows it. He's hopelessly in love with this goddess who **won't even look at him!**

Damon runs a frustrated hand through his brown locks as he watches Bonnie turn her attention to Gabriel and instruct the eager boy to wash his hands if he wants to help his Uncle Stefan with breakfast. She smiles as their son runs off before turning her attention to Jackson and a conversation he, Stefan, and Elena are having.

**SHE'S IGNORING HIM!** He's **in the room**, in **plain sight**, and she's ignoring him! Acting as if he's not even there!

Damon's fists clench together in anger of the entire situation. **Not only** is she seemingly going to pretend their kiss **didn't happen**, she's going to **IGNORE** **him**, pretend he doesn't exist altogether!

It takes every bit of restraint Damon has, to calm his shock and anger. He can't believe this is happening! He's furious, outraged, pissed the fuck off! But exploding at Bonnie is not going to get her to talk to him, much less talk to him about their **kiss**, so Damon tries desperately to calm himself.

The vampire takes a very deep breath, simultaneously closing his eyes, before slowly and shakily letting it out. He runs both his hands over his face in frustration before huffing resolutely and staring back at his maddening ex.

If she won't speak to him aloud, then he'll break into her thoughts! Sure he can't read what she's thinking, but that doesn't mean he can't communicate with her! Damon stares intensely at his little witch before taking the first step.

_'How are you' _he asks, willing the frustrated tenseness out of his voice, hoping it comes off sounding nonchalant, concerned even, which he is, but even more he's frustrated, frustrated with Bonnie's behavior.

He immediately notices Bonnie's entire body go rigid once he sends the mental message, and he can't help but smile slightly to himself. She hadn't been expecting that, had she? Oh well, served her right for trying to ignore him. Didn't she know Damon Salvatore _**hated** _being ignored?

A panicked look comes over the witch's face, which she quickly erases before combing her fingers through her locks casually and sighing, before suddenly shooting her eyes over to meet Damon's awaiting ones, an intense, slightly pained look on her face.

_'I'm fine – can we please – please talk **aloud**, Damon, okay?'_ she replies/sputters hastily, face silently pleading with Damon to do as she requests.

"Fine" Damon shrugs, suddenly speaking aloud and earning the curious attention of everyone in the kitchen. But he ignores it, doesn't care about it, could care less if they all think he's lost his mind talking to himself, he just needs to talk to Bonnie. "Can we talk?" he asks the beautiful woman, eyes never leaving her brown-green pools.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Bonnie answers, nervously biting down on her bottom lip. Every eye in the room is on her and she feels exposed, observed, and crowded by the curious stares she's receiving from her son and other three present adults (one who happens to be her **fiance! **Probably wondering **where the heck **the two of them **speaking** had come from!). "I really need to get out and practice some more." she hastily supplies before looking down and away from Damon's intense and off-putting gaze.

"Bonnie we were kind of hoping we could all sit down and work out a plan to lure the Gin Sorcerer here." Stefan speaks suddenly, immediately picking up on the signs and realizing his friend and brother had been communicating mentally, a gift only the gray-eyed vampire shared with Elena, and his brother with Bonnie.

He stares calculatedly at Bonnie, curious as to why she needs more time to practice when she's **mastered** the lightning spell. They have** far** more important things to do today, than that! They needn't waste another day on training, they needed to take this bastard down!

"Um I'm not – I'm not ready yet. I need more time to practice the spell." Bonnie sputters, feeling like a complete **coward** for using training as an excuse to avoid Damon. She **is** a coward! She just can't face him at the moment. "Just give me today and I should be good!" she hastily says, an apologetic look on her angel-like features.

"Okay Bonnie" Stefan sighs in relent, a disappointed yet supportive and understanding look on his handsome features.

"I'm fine!" Bonnie suddenly and quite out of nowhere answers, fixing her best friend with a stern gaze before the brunette can even voice her concerned question.

Elena narrows her eyes and fixes Bonnie with a look of disbelief that has the witch sighing in aggravation.

"I should probably be heading out now." Bonnie nods decisively, addressing the group. The quicker she get out, the better. She had to get away from Elena's probing eyes; she had to get away from **Damon!** She could **still** feel his gaze upon her and felt as if she were suffocating from it. "You know the earlier I go, the more time I'll have to get stuff done." she sputters before looking longingly at the kitchen door, her escape route.

"Bon" she hears Damon attempt, and she looks up to see his pleading eyes and his stern, thin, and unhappy lips.

"I gotta go." Bonnie says, before he as the chance to say any thing more, an apologetic look on her face. "Jackson, walk me out?" she asks, shooting a pleading look at her boyfriend who immediately grabs her hand and leads her over to the door.

She feels weak, as if the slightest of winds will knock her over completely. Damon, Damon, Damon; she feels as if she's drowning in his presence. His eyes are on her back, burning her like fire, and she silently wishes she'd burn. Wishes she'd explode and die because she feels so horrible. The guilt is just too horrible. She is drowning in it at the moment, drowning in the guilt from hurting the man she cares very deeply for. She knows she's hurting Damon by ignoring him, by refusing to talk to him. She knows it's hurting him; she **feels** that pain, and she feels horribly about it, but she can't face him. She doesn't wanna have to deal with the kiss they'd shared. She wants to break things off with him. But breaking away from Damon was easier **said** than done.

She wishes she'd get sucked into a sudden gaping hole in the ground because she doesn't wanna deal with the way she's feeling all of a sudden. She wishes and wills Damon to all of a sudden acquire fire power and burn her where she walks, to deliver her from these unavoidable things, but it doesn't happen. The fire never comes and the guilt never ceases, and Bonnie can't help but be reminded of that certain Twilight quote.

**Death is easy, living is the hard part...**something like that. Never had the words reigned more true!

The kitchen door bursts open just as Jackson and Bonnie are approaching it and in walks a crimson-mouthed Katherine.

"Goin out?" she questions, a huge grin on her face as she licks the remaining blood from her lips. "Have fun!" she throws over her shoulder before heading over to the refrigerator.

"Where've you been?" Bonnie questions accusingly, pausing before her escape door and turning to eye the woman vampire skeptically.

"Um thought the blood on my lips made it pretty obvious: feeding, witch." Katherine answers as if it's the most obvious thing in the world, smiling fakely at Bonnie.

"She knows **that.** You were just gone for hours. It doesn't take that long to** feed." **Jackson immediately throws back, growling slightly, immediately jumping to Bonnie's defense.

"Jackson, Jackson, Jackson...always the knight in shining armor. Why don't you let little Bonnie fight her own battles?" Katherine taunts, eyes sparkling deviously as she smiles over at the Latino. "Oh and FYI, I don't eat **animal**, I made a little trip to the city to snack on some locals. That's why it took a little longer than usual." the vampire rattles off in a "duh" sort of manner.

"You're sick. I hope you didn't kill anyone." Bonnie mutters in disgust before opening the kitchen door.

"But of course!" Katherine exclaims jovially, and it takes every ounce of self-control Bonnie has not to respond, not to send the vampire bitch into an all-out coma with her powers. Instead she trudges out of the house, vowing that someday she will **really** kick the woman's **ass.**

Jackson looks back furiously at a grinning Katherine, glaring daggers at her but she merely winks and puckers her lips at him in a kissing manner.

He grimaces at the action before moving to follow Bonnie out of the cabin.

"Don't fall on a sharpened piece of wood!" Katherine calls after him good-naturedly.

"Don't stumble into the fireplace!" Jackson throws back in the same manner, though admittedly more tense, before exiting the cabin and joining Bonnie outside.

The female vampire chuckles to herself at the Latino's words before sitting down at the table, a jello cup and spoon in hand.

"Sure you don't wanna lick his ass?" a voice suddenly speaks out, interrupting the silence, and Katherine arches an amused eyebrow at her fuming lookalike. Wow, the girl actually knows how to talk a bit of trash...

"Watch your mouth, mini me." she admonishes in a slightly sing-song voice before eating a spoonful of the cherry flavored jello.

"Why do you always want what you can't have?" Elena continues, not phased and not afraid of the powerful vampire's warning.

"Please babe, I don't want him!" Katherine rolls her eyes carelessly before fixing Elena with a firm look. "If I wanted him then I would've** had **him, believe that." she assures her young relative before emerging from the table and heading to her room. If she'd wanted to get the fourth degree while she ate she would've fed publicly out in the city.

"You're sickening." Elena announces, nose scrunched up in disgust as she watches the female vampire depart.

"Yeah well…what can you do?" Katherine shrugs before turning around and facing the group once more. "I'm gonna finish this jello cup, then I'm taking a shower…Stefan you can join if you want. Spice up your life a little…" she veers off suggestively, smiling seductively at the younger Salvatore.

"Go to your damn room, Katherine!" Stefan orders.

"Be back soon" the vampire smiles, waving at the group with sneering wiggling fingers before leaving and disappearing down the hallway of rooms.

Elena sighs loudly in frustration before running a hand over her face and looking over at her quiet nephew, an apologetic look on her face. Stefan follows her line of vision and beats the exhausted girl to the punch.

"Sorry about the language, Gabe." the vampire sighs, regretful eyes on the little four year old.

"Yeah, me too baby." Elena softly echoes, before fixing the young boy with a firm look. "Remember the number one rule about foul language?" she questions.

"It's for adults only. I'm not to repeat any thing I may hear." Gabriel rattles off bored and mechanical like, smiling slightly when his Uncle grins at him and ruffles his hair.

"Right. Okay, I need some water." Elena sighs before heading over to the refrigerator.

"I'm making breakfast. Maybe you and Gabe can take some to Bonnie later on since she didn't eat any thing because she was in **such a hurry **to get out of here." Stefan suggests, more than a little off-put by Bonnie's strange behavior. Perhaps Damon was telling the truth about kissing her...speaking of his brother, the man hadn't moved since the witch's exit, in fact he was still staring intensely, wordlessly at the door she'd exited out of.

"Hey, you okay?" Stefan questions silently, moving to where the other man stands and patting him comfortingly on the back.

Damon only nods distractedly and Stefan knows right away that his brother is definitely **not** okay, but centuries of living with the older Salvatore has taught him not to force himself upon him. When Damon wants to talk, he'll talk. Until then, it's pretty much pointless in trying to force him. He locks eyes with a concerned looking Elena before shrugging his shoulders helplessly.

"We'll talk about it when you're ready." Stefan assures his brother, an encouraging smile on his face as he pats him comfortingly on the shoulder before moving back over to the stove and the food he was previously preparing.

"Yeah, that sounds good." Elena says softly in reply to Stefan's previous words, eyes fixed on a silent and sad looking Gabriel.

"You still gonna help your Uncle with breakfast, Gabe?" the brunette questions softly, watching with concerned eyes as Gabriel rips his eyes away from his Father and onto her.

"Yes mam..." he says softly before walking over to his Father and tugging gently on his arm.

At the feel of the small hand tugging on him, Damon finally awakens from his thoughts, looking down into the gentle, innocent eyes of his son.

"Yes Gabriel?" the vampire asks tiredly, bending so that he's at eye-level with the little boy and smiling slightly despite his sour mood.

The little warlock places his tiny hands on Damon's shoulders and looks him square in the eye, an empathetic look on his face, and the old vampire is blown away because a four year old shouldn't even know how to make such a face!

"Don't be sad, Dad." the little boy says softly before sighing. "Mommy didn't sleep good last night so she's probably just cranky." he shrugs slightly before biting into his bottom lip slightly, looking exactly like Bonnie for a moment. "She didn't mean to be mean to you. She probably just didn't want to talk to you cause bad words might slip out." the young supernatural finishes off thoughtfully before watching his father with calculating eyes.

Damon can't help but grin at his son's words, his mood instantly brightening at the pure innocence of it all. He eyes his son with eyes full of love, musing how he's so **much** like Bonnie, his mannerisms, his kindness.

"Thanks Gabe" Damon smiles contently, kissing his son's forehead before standing into an upright position.

"Uh! Dad!" the little hybrid fusses, wiping at his forehead, a slight frown on his face.

Then again, he was like him as well...Damon muses chuckling to himself.

"Go help Stefan." Damon chuckles to himself, running a hand over his son's curls as the boy laughs and runs over to his Uncle, and Damon soon follows himself. Heck he isn't doing any thing, maybe he'll cook too? He and Bonnie will talk eventually. So they didn't talk **now**, as he'd planned, they'd **talk**; that was really all that mattered right?

******BB******

Bonnie sits quietly on the forest floor, eyes closed and eyebrows furrowed in thought.

She's in the same exact wooded area she'd been in the previous day. The plan was to train, or at least keep up the **illusion** of training, but Bonnie found, after a few futile attempts at the lightning spell, that her mind was just some place else entirely. Which is why she is now sitting still on the forest floor, going over the events of the previous night and that very morning, and wondering how in the world she'd gotten herself into such a shitty situation.

Basically she's been sitting here feeling sorry for herself, which has basically gotten her **nowhere** in the means of finding a solution to the question as to, "how in the world she's going to break Damon's heart?" She's just as lost as she'd been earlier this morning, if not even **more** lost because she feels bad for ignoring him and can't help but dread and be completely horrified by the thought of the way she'll feel when she **breaks his heart.**

Just as Bonnie considers that she may finally be ready to consider the ways to gently inform/remind Damon that their relationship is **over** and she's with Jackson now, she hears a twig break about a yard away from her. (When you're in complete, tension-cutting silence, you tend to hear **everything**...)

The witch sits up, becoming alert, but then she feels a certain familiar feeling in her gut and she relaxes before feeling another familiar feeling overtake her. She closes her eyes and runs a hand through her hair before sighing frustratedly.

"Lena, really? I have to practice. I told you, I'm fine." Bonnie groans out, even seconds before her best friend and son come into view.

The brunette in question huffs somewhat in dismay a frown on her face as she stares and pouts angrily at her friend, annoyed by the normally comforting fact that the witch can always sense her presence: hers, Damon's, Gabe's, and Caroline's; and for a few months now, Stefan' too...It was a privledge surely it was, a testament of their close relationship and bond, but right now it was just annoying.

"I heard you." Elena counters before fixing her friend with a firm gaze. "Now hear **me** when I say that I'm your best friend, remember?" she questions, making her way closer to the sitting witch. "I've been your best friend since we were **three,** and I can tell when you're lying before you even **speak.**" she finishes, fixing her friend with a pointed look before glancing around the area, scoffing, and sarcastically adding, "And you've been doing about as much **practicing** as me and Gabe, so you're spilling your guts and telling me what the heck is going on with you!"

Elena glares purposefully at her best friend and the witch in question pouts angrily, a deep frown on her face because she knows there's no way the stubborn brunette, she knows like the back of her hand, is letting her out of this.

"Go play babe, Mommy and Aunt Lane need to talk." the beautiful chocolate-eyed girl instructs, looking down at her nephew and patting his head affectionately.

The four year old nods businesslike, almost as if he knows all about the conversation the women are about to have, before scurrying off and busying himself with the ipod his Aunt had previously handed to him.

Elena gazes after the young boy for a little while, watching as he walks around, casually tossing rocks and sticks and moving his head, hands, and feet to the beat of the music, before she turns her attention over to his mother and fixes her with a stern gaze as she takes a seat next to her on the warm, dirt ground.

"You're lying through your **teeth**, Bonnie. What the hell happened last night?" Elena demands, staring sideways at her friend, waiting for her answer.

"Nothing!" Bonnie immediately denies, looking straight ahead of her, throwing her hands up in frustration.

"You're **lying**, Bonnie!" Elena instantly throws back, tossing her hands up as well. "**Geez!** I know something happened! Just tell me." the brunette orders, voice full of aggravation before she sighs tiredly and calms her intensity, settling down to a more gentle and soothing tone as she gazes pleadingly at her friend. "What happened last night, Bon? What happened between yesterday and this morning that changed things for you and Damon **so** much it has you running away from him like a frightened mouse?" she softly inquires.

The witch slowly looks up and meets Elena's soft eyes before looking away and softly muttering in one final attempt.

"Nothing"

"Bonnie!" Elena exclaims, face and eyes stern dangerous, and the witch decides against lying a third time because her friend looks as if she will **literally** cause her bodily harm if she does so.

"We kissed" the green-eyed woman finally confesses, eyes shut tightly and a pained expression on her face as she does so.

"What?" the brunette immediately questions in disbelief, sure she's heard wrong. "No way!" she exclaims in surprise...But that would **surely** explain their current behavior towards one another..."Wow. You – **WOW.** Never in my **mind** – I can't **believe**...**FINALLY!" **Elena sputters excitedly before finally getting her words out.

"Lane, no!" Bonnie immediately echoes her friend, a distraught look on her face as she runs a hand over it. "You don't understand." she says softly, brokenly.

"Yes I do!" Elena argues passionately. "I believe I understand more than **you** do." she informs before standing to her feet excitedly and pacing back and forth in front of the witch. "This is perfect!" she exclaims, finally pausing in her steps and fixing Bonnie with a giddy smile. "The man **loves** you, **so** much it's hard to believe it's **Damon Salvatore** cause I didn't think he was capable of such intense love, **but he is!**" she informs, before bringing her tone down to a more calm and serious one at the sight of her friend's downcast and troubled eyes. "He **loves** you Bonnie; he's sorry for leaving you; and he wants you back!" she softly informs the fragile looking woman, eyes pleading with her roaming ones to believe her words. "**He loves you!** And you **must** love him still because you kissed him!" Elena exclaims, eyes probing and passionate as she studies the witch. "Now you two can finally be together!" she finishes quietly, smiling happily.

"No, Elena!" Bonnie finally exclaims, looking at her friend with eyes full of shock and disbelief. "We **can't** be together! I'm with Jackson!" she fiercely reminds.

The words seem to have little to no affect on the happy brunette as her grin only widens.

"But you don't **have** to be. Break up with him!" she suggests, eyes wide and alight as if she's just come up with the best thing since colored TV.

"Elena! No." Bonnie exclaims brokenly, running a frustrated hand through her curly locks, sure that her current conversation is giving her many of gray hairs and facial wrinkles before her time that will surely help to drive **both** men away from her...which at this point wouldn't be such a bad thing, cause maybe she'd get out of hurting them..."I care about him. I love him." the petite woman informs softly, looking up and meeting Elena's piercing gaze.

"But you and Damon are **mean to be** together!"

"**No we're not!"** Bonnie exclaims suddely, loudly and furiously, immediately silencing the brunette, fed up with her **shoving Damon down her throat! "**Gosh Elena, don't you see?" she questions, face distraught and eyes sparkling. "I don't **want** what you want, what **he** wants! **I don't want it!**" she exclaims, hands balling into fists as she momentarily glares up at the sky before closing her eyes.

"Gosh! And now..." Bonnie starts off at a more quiet, though admittedly equally intense vocal tone. "Now, after that kiss, it's all starting to happen **again!" **she exclaims, wrenching her eyes open and glaring intensely at Elena. "He can** feel** my feelings. He can **hear** my thoughts and **communicate with me psychically.** And I can do the same with him!" the witch bites out angrily. "Our minds are connecting and I don't want it! I **don't** want it!..." the beautiful woman exclaims, eyes shining with unshed tears she refuses to let fall. "But I don't know how to stop it." she finishes softly.

For a few minutes every thing is completely silent: Bonnie deep in thought and Elena watching her with concerned eyes, allowing her a moment to calm. Then, finally when she seems to do so...

"The connection is between your **souls** Bonnie, you know that." the dark haired girl softly and consciously corrects/reminds before sighing quietly. "Your souls are interconnected, your hearts are one. He always has been the one for you." she whispers, placing a soothing hand on Bonnie's knee and effectively getting the witch to meet her gentle gaze. "If you can't figure out a way to stop you guys from happening, maybe that's a sign that you should **stop.** Stop **trying** to keep it from happening." she quietly advises her friend before removing her hand and fixing the woman with a solemn, meaningful gaze.

"I will not let history repeat itself, Elena." Bonnie's shaky voice speaks out with determination, and Elena sighs. Her friend's stubbornness truly rivaled her own; they were really two peas in a pod, but Bonnie **had** to listen. She knew her friend was hurt, hurt and scared, but she had to give Damon a chance. The two were meant to be, **soul mates**; it was clear to **everyone,** Elena especially, and the brunette would **not** allow her best friend to deny herself of being with the one she was **destined for.**

"Do you love him?" the brown-eyed girl suddenly questions quietly, fixing the witch with a pointed stare.

"...I love Jackson." the green-eyed woman finally answers after a couple of silent seconds.

"That doesn't answer my question, Bonnie." Elena echoes relentlessly. "Are you – still in love – with Damon?" she repeats, meaningfully separating the words and staring firmly at her friend, who refuses to answer altogether this time, which ironically gives Elena all the **answer** she'd needed.

"What are you going to do?" Elena finally sighs heavily in defeat, frustrated that Bonnie hadn't all-out answered her, but relieved that she **had** inadvertently. "You can't keep fighting what you feel for him; it's wrong! It's wrong to him and to **you...**and I think it's an impossible feat."

"If I can't fight him, then I'll run." Bonnie says quietly, looking up at Elena with determined eyes. "I'll run till he tires of chasing me." she passionately informs.

"That man will chase you **forever**, Bonnie, and I think you know that." Elena quietly informs, eyes soft and sad as she stares at her troubled friend. She can't imagine what she's going through, doesn't know if she'd have the strength or faith to give Stefan a second chance, should the situation be hers. But she knows that Damon's the one for Bonnie. They reserved a special bond that even rivaled hers with Stefan for the simple fact that they were witch and vampire, both supernaturals and quite a rare pair of soul mates. Their relationship is special and just plain out **destined.** They had to get it back; they both deserved happiness, **joy, **which was only truly attained when they were together.

"Just give it some thought." Elena tells Bonnie, looking over at her friend with eyes that tell her that she understands. "It's scary. I know it is."

"Terrifying" Bonnie clarifies.

"But you can trust him, Bonnie." Elena finishes, eyes intent and gaze firm. "He loves you, and he will not hurt you again." she assures strongly before sighing heavily at Bonnie's suddenly averted gaze. "At least give him a chance. You deserve to be happy, **truly** happy." she says quietly, staring concerned at Bonnie's downcast head.

"Yeah mom, you deserve to be happy!" a third voice suddenly enters their conversation and the two women look up in surprise to see Gabriel suddenly standing a mere two feet before them, a large mischievous grin on his face as he eyes the women with sparkling, slightly daring eyes, seemingly knowing he's about to be in trouble.

Bonnie shakes her head in disapproval, a small smile on her face as she glares at her son.

"You little Vampire, come here!" the mother exclaims before pulling her little boy into her arms, legs opening as she pulls her son into her and proceeds to tickle him ruthlessly, Elena immediately joining in on the attack.

"Mommy! Aunt Lane! Stop!" Gabriel exclaims giggling cutely and hysterically as he wiggles uncontrollably in his mothers arms.

"I told you to go play, you little eavesdropper!" Elena exclaims, grinning widely as she continues the tickle attack on the young boy.

"I'm sorry!" he exclaims desperately and the women still their hands, though Bonnie keeps a firm hold on the boy as she and Elena stare at one another.

"I think he's had enough." the green-eyed woman finally sighs decisively at her partner in crime.

"For now" Elena agrees before running a hand through her long, dark tresses and thinking back to her nephew's mischievous grin, so much like Damon's, and his sore habit of eavesdropping, much like his blue-eyed Father's, who'd listened in on many a conversation between her and Stefan. "He's definitely his Father's son..." the brunette muses aloud, gazing thoughtfully at her nephew.

"That's right! I'm a Salvatore." the little boy exclaims proudly, poking his little chest out boastfully.

"And **way** too smart for a four year old." the creamy skinned beauty adds, ruffling Gabriel's hair who in turn grins widely before moving around in his mother's arms until he's facing her, sitting indian-style between her open legs, and looking into her jade orbs, a sudden serious gleam to his blue ones.

"Mommy listen to Aunt Lane." the small supernatural says quietly, staring at Bonnie with pleading eyes. "Daddy loves you, and you should give him another chance...and I'm four and three quarters!" he suddenly exclaims, eyes sparkling and full of life as he does so.

"Listen to you!...You too?" Bonnie questions, studying her son with eyes alight with adoration. "You're team Damon too?" she asks incredulously. "What about Jackson; you **like** Jackson!" she lightly demands.

"Jackson's a nice guy, Mom," Gabriel starts somewhat timidly, as if he's talking to a young child. "but Dad's **awesome!**" he exclaims excitedly, grinning adorably at Bonnie. "I want you guys to fall in love **again**, Mom, so he'll stay and be with us forever! He told me he would, and I don't want him to **leave!" **he rambles slightly, voice taking on a more desperate, pleading tone at the end that literally breaks Bonnie's heart. "He loves you. We could be a real family. He makes you happy." the little boy says quietly before averting his eyes to the ground and staring hard at it, eyebrows furrowed in thought so that he looks exactly like his father at the moment.

Bonnie sighs, crossing her legs and pulling Gabriel into her lap so that he's sitting sideways across her legs.

"**You** make me happy, baby." she says softly, kissing Gabriel's cheek as he stares at her with hopeful eyes, and Bonnie sighs heavily, knowing exactly what he's hoping for. "Give mommy time to think, okay sweetie? Momma needs time." she tells her son decisively. "That goes for **you** too." she adds firmly, glancing sideways and fixing Elena with a stern look.

"Okay" the brunette in question sighs dramatically in defeat.

"Just give me some time, okay?" Bonnie repeats, eyebrows slightly furrowed as she realizes that she's suddenly more confused and distraught than ever. Her son wants her to be with Damon. His opinion means a great deal to her. She just isn't sure if Damon is truly the best choice. Even more, she's not sure if she can **completely** give her heart over to him again. She doesn't **want** to, that's for sure. "I wanna promise I'll...keep an open mind and whatnot, but I don't know if I can." she admits before moving her hand through her brown curls. "Just give me time to think." she finishes.

"Okay" Elena sighs once more before emerging from the forest ground and fixing Bonnie with a pointed look. "But why don't you think in the

**cabin** instead of keeping up this charade of practicing that practically **no one** is going for?" she suggests.

"No one?" Bonnie asks in disbelief. Surely **someone** had believed her excuse.

"No one." Elena clarifies, and Bonnie pouts slightly at this realization.

"Okay, I'll go." Bonnie groans slightly as she and Gabriel both stand as well.

"Good! And Gabe and I will even cook you a late breakfast...since we kind of ate the one, we were supposed to bring to you, on the way here..."

"You **what?** I was **starving** and you guys ate my breakfast?" Bonnie exclaims incredulously, glaring at her best friend and son.

"We didn't want you to be distracted from the conversation." Elena shrugs sheepishly. It'd sounded like a way better excuse when she and her nephew had come up with it...

"Unbelievable" Bonnie grumbles before brushing past the two food stealers and towards the cabin.

She rolls her eyes, but can't help the amused grin that overtakes her face at the sound of her son and Elena snickering behind her back.

"C'mon!" she orders, in faux angry voice, but she isn't fooling anyone.

"Okay" Bonnie sighs, not looking forward to the serious and deep thinking she'll have to endure in a few moments.

Elena moves one hand away from Gabriel's legs and places it comfortingly around Bonnie's shoulders, seemingly reading her thoughts, as she ushers the woman out of the forest.

"Think with an **open** mind, say it with me!" she encourages, smiling brightly.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..."

******DS**** **

Meanwhile on the other side of the forest, emotions are high and tension is in the air as the three vampires make their way into the woods, having just bid farewell to the breakfast delivering Elena and Gabriel, having opted to spend the day furthering their training, due to Bonnie's absence in plan-making.

The men walk further into the woods, the tension _**thick **_amongst 'd them, to the point where need a butcher's knife to cut through it.

Damon continuously glares at Jackson, a venomous look of hatred on his features. And Jackson himself seems to have no problem displaying his _**own**_ hatred for the eldest Salvatore.

Stefan leads the way, heading deeper into the woods, glancing back at his two companions every couple of seconds, silently waiting for all hell to break loose. He literally _**feels**_ it coming, the unavoidable explosion he knew would come if and when Damon ever discovered Bonnie's relationship with the other man. He's honestly surprised his brother hasn't lost his temper with the Latino _**yet**_; really shows the kind of self-control he could display when the sake of his spot in Bonnie's good graces was in jeopardy...

But _**this afternoon**_...at this very moment Damon looks as if he's ready to _**kill. **_And Jackson's nearly _**daring**_ him to make a move. Please don't do that Jackson, _**please **_don't do that. Stefan inwardly thinks/begs/prays, not wanting the blood of Bonnie's fiance on his hands because the Latino _**truly**_ did not realize how much _**stronger**_ Damon was than him, and how ruthless he could really be where Bonnie was concerned.

The blue-eyed vampire in question is _**furious. **_He can't look at the other man without wanting to viciously kill him. He's _**sick**_ of him,_** sick **_of seeing him with Bonnie! He was sick of him _**parading**_ Bonnie around in front of his face; he was sick of his annoying, suffocating _**presence! **If only he knew I was making out with **his** Bonnie last night..._the handsome man muses to himself, laughing inside at the fact that the other man had no _**idea**_ what was going on right _**underneath his nose**_: Bonnie falling for _**him**_ again.

At least he'd hoped...Having the witch blow him off that morning had definitely given him doubts. And watching her leave on Jackson's arm had done _**nothing**_ to bland the ever-growing hatred Damon had for the other man. He was more angry, more jealous, more possessive than _**ever, **_now that Bonnie had kissed him and he _**really**_ did _**feel**_ as if she was his again; and keeping his temper with the Latino was not something he would likely be able to do...quite frankly it wasn't something he _**wanted**_ to do. He was _**pissed**_ and _**fed up**_, and he wanted to be with Bonnie, but Jackson was in the way, in **his** way, and Damon wanted nothing more than to stake him in the heart. Tension was definitely building; Stefan knew this, Damon knew this, Jackson knew this. They were all simply waiting for every thing to crash...

And it would _**crash!**_ Damon was _**furious**_ and filled with hatred towards Jackson, and the Latino was _**fed up** _and _**furious** _with Damon and his blatant advances towards his fiance. Both vamps seemed to _**hate**_ the other so it truly **_was_** only a matter of time. The men were simply counting down the seconds.

They **_almost_** make it to their destination. They get exactly a yard away from it, Stefan constantly praying all the while, before Damon finally breaks into the edging silence.

"So...what are your intentions with Bonnie, jerk-off?" he suddenly demands, stopping in his tracks to face the tan-skinned man, a menacing glare in his eyes, and all Stefan can dejectedly think is: Fuck; this must be the _**crash.**_ Everyone duck and cover...

"Like I'd tell you, dumb ass." Jackson spits back, stopping and facing Damon head on.

"Look. If I'm going to back down from Bonnie, I gotta make sure the guy I'm leavin' her with is worthy." Damon bites out through a tight-lipped smile.

"Bullshit, cause you'd never back down from Bonnie!"

"Smart guy." the blue-eyed vampire states sarcastically, rolling his eyes and smiling stiffly at the man before him. "So let's say we play a game then." he announces. "You tell me one of the pros of Bonnie being with **you** and I'll tell you one, **of the many**, for her being with me. That way maybe we **both** can decide who's better for our _(my)_ Bonnie." he rattles off, tone light and happy grin in place, but the veins around his eyes displaying his hatred for the other man, and the anger he feels and can no longer hide. Jackson seems unaffected by it however.

"Have it your way, Damon." the muscular man sighs tiredly in defeat, as if he's giving into some ludicrous requests of a pathetic child. "I already know who's better for her."

"Why don't you leave me and Bonnie alone to it then, and stop being such a fucking cock block."

"I was talking about me, moron."

"You? Well clearly you're the only moron here, if you believe _**that.**_ Let's start this thing, shall we?" Damon announces, directing a menacing glare at the Latino.

"Okay, I think I'm gonna go take a walk..." the previously silent Stefan finally speaks up, cautiously eyeing the two glaring vampires before him, decisively not wanting to be a part of this showdown. But could he really trust Damon not to get carried away and blow the conversation _**way**_ out of proportion?...

"Good idea, Stefan! Leave me and **Jack-o** to clear this up!" Damon exclaims in faux joy, eyes never leaving Jackson's.

Stefan silently and skeptically continues to stare back and forth between the two vampires, before sighing heavily. This really wasn't a good idea...leaving the two of them alone...

"Please don't kill each other." he attempts weakly.

"Pssh, he couldn't **touch** me!" Damon scoffs bemusedly.

"Damon"

"Bye Stefan" Damon returns, voice slightly singing the words.

"I can handle him, Stef." Jackson assures, briefly gazing sternly at the younger Salvatore.

"Oh please!" Damon scoffs incredulously, face the epitome of amused disbelief. "You couldn't even handle _**Stefan!...**_And _**nobody**_ in over an entire _**century**_ has been able to _**"****handle me" **_besides Bonnie, so good luck with that one, Jack." he spits, eyeing the joke of a man before him in pity of his sheer stupidity. Handle _**him?**_ That really was _**laughable!**_

"It's Jax" the Latino corrects stiffly as he glares daggers at Damon.

"Well that really doesn't make much sense; your name is _**Jack**_-son."

At these words, Stefan exhales deeply before shaking his head and fleeing the scene, praying that no one (Jackson) dies. He has a feeling Bonnie _**might**_ be upset if her fiance was killed. It was just a theory...

"Did you want to do this thing or not?" Jackson challenges at Stefan's exit, glaring expectantly at the oldest Salvatore.

"Hey buddy, you're the one who's talking and distracting _**me.**_" Damon rattles off, and the Latino huffs furiously before fixing the blue-eyed vamp with a pointed stare.

"I should be with Bonnie because I'm better for her. I would never_** hurt**_ her like _**you**_ did." Jackson bites out fiercly, and Damon growls at his words, knowing he's trying to get a rise out of him, bringing up the most painful act of his existence.

"I should be with Bonnie because I rock her world with _**hot sex:**_ her hands clinging _**tightly**_ to me, my bite marks _**all over** _her naked body as I _**pound into her** _that final time, and she screams my name out as she comes, her entire _**being**_ quivering as she makes all these very sexy sounds _**just for me.**_" Damon vividly describes, prompting a rise of his own out of the other vampire, knowing his words will infuriate the man. "How does it feel to know she's probably thinking of me _**every time**_ you bang her?" he adds, smirking evilly at the low growl he receives from the Latino vampire.

"Oh trust me, I know _**perfectly**_ well who Bonnie's thinking about when her eyes are fixed on _**mine**_, watching my every move as _**I**_ pound into her." Jackson snarls, eyes vicious and glaring at Damon. "When she calls _**my** _name out, trust me; she's forgotten you ever existed. And it's _**me**_ who should get get to be with her because _**I**_ get to see her eyes glaze over as she comes. It's _**me**_ who gets to feel her quiver around my cock, and _**me**_ who gets to listen to her sexy squeaks and whimpers. _**Not you. Not anymore.**_"

Damon gives no warning, just moves swiftly, furiously, punching Jackson **_hard_** across the jaw, knocking his head back slightly from the powerful force of it.

"Because I'm the _**very** _jealous and _**possessive** _type when it comes to Bonnie...and she secretly _**loves**_ this." Damon pants angrily, glaring daggers at the Latino as the man in question massages his jaw.

Jackson cracks his neck before fixing Damon with his best game face, jaw clenched tightly and eyes murderous.

"You're lucky Bonnie actually cares about your sorry ass, or I'd beat you senseless, stake you in the heart, and say you got lost in the woods." he bites out before snarling furiously, fighting with every fiber in his being to keep from laying a punch of his own into the infuriating vampire. "And I should be with Bonnie because I'm _**not** _the jealous or possessive type...unless someone is _**blatantly**_ coming after my girl...and she loves _**this.**_" he throws expertly back at Damon.

"Because I took her virginity." Damon swiftly announces, momentarily catching off guard and silencing the other man. "I was her first, and I _**will**_ be her last."

"Because we don't have an argument _**every other day!**_ We actually have a _**stable **_relationship."

Low blow. They never used to argue like this in the past, often, but not **_nearly_** as often as now. This had started with his return, brought on by heightened emotions, tension, anger, and their complete onslaught of issues. Heck the annoying Hispanic was the cause for many of their recent arguments himself! Damon didn't like them, heck he **hated** them. He _**hated**_ arguing with Bonnie, but it was something they had to go through for the time being. Definitely not something he cared to be reminded of!

"Because, although we may _**argue**_, I care about her and would _**die**_ for her in a heartbeat."

"Because I'd die for her as well! And her son!" Jackson exclaims passionately, determinedly, eyes intense as he glares at the man before him, willing him to know that he is _**clearly**_ the best choice for Bonnie.

"Because I am the _**Father**_ of her son, and I love and care about them _**both.**_" Damon returns with equal intensity, anger diminishing slightly as he glares, with fierce eyes, at the other man.

"Because I love them as well and want a shot at having a _**real**_ family with them...a family of our own. And because I would never be _**dumb**_ enough to leave them."

"Because they're _**all I have.**_ I want them; I _**need**_ them, and yeah. I was _**dumb**_ to leave, but I'd never make that mistake again. Never."

Both the vampire's anger has cooled, their faces not as intense as before but now both solemn as they stare the other down. They seem to have some how, in the midst of their intense verbal match, found some level of understanding amongst themselves. They both truly _**love**_ Bonnie and have her best interests at heart.

"Because I love _**her**_ and want to make her happy. I _**do**_ make her happy." Jackson says quietly, blank expression on his face as he studies Damon.

"Because _**I**_ love her and want to make her happy...And I make her happier."

"That's up to Bonnie." the Latino informs before sighing heavily and running a hand through his black curls. "There's no actual way we can solve this." he announces, fixing Damon with a pointed look.

"Seems like" the blue-eyed man echoes, sighing in defeat.

"We have to let her decide, Damon."

"Yeah" the handsome vampire replies hesitantly, wondering why the other man is suddenly being somewhat nice to him.

And then suddenly it hits him, at the sight of the sympathetic look the Latino briefly flashes at him. _**He thinks he's won! **_Jackson thinks Bonnie is going to chose **him!** He **knows** Bonnie is going to chose him! _**Ha! Fat chance!**_ He's _**really**_ got another thing coming, and he's out of his **mind** if he doesn't think Damon's a _**threat!**_

"Really hope the best man wins." Jackson smiles somewhat smug-like, patting Damon on the shoulder.

"**Really** get your fuckin hands off me." Damon spits back before shoving past the Latino and exiting the forest, Destination: Cabin...any where that doesn't involve him being **alone** with the **_orangutang..._**

******BB/DS******

Damon doesn't go straight to the cabin. Well he does, but when he's about a good yard away from it, he senses Bonnie's presence within it's confines. Oddly enough she isn't talking or he would've heard her maybe a couple of minutes back, but he could've just been too distracted because only **_now_** has he caught on to her alluring, easily identified scent. Whatever the reason may be, he senses Bonnie's presence, when he's about a yard away from the cabin, and he huffs in frustration before turning abruptly on his heel and heading back in the direction from whence he came, earning a confused stare from the Latino who's been tailing him to their destination.

"Where're you going?" Jackson shouts after Damon's swiftly retreating form, but he doesn't get an answer. The eldest Salvatore never turns around, never stops, he just storms further into the forest unceasingly.

Damon wants to talk to Bonnie; Damon needs to talk to Bonnie, but at the moment he can't bring himself to do so. His emotions are still on such an incredible **_high!_** She wouldn't want to talk to him in such a state; heck she wouldn't _**need **_to talk to him in such a state. He needs to cool down, get himself together, collect his thoughts, figure out how he's going to get Bonnie to finally address what'd happened between them last night, or at least _**talk**_ to him period!

And he couldn't do this in the cabin! He couldn't relax and think in the cabin because _**she**_ was there, because she would be there...with _**him**_! Damon _**had**_ to get himself back together, _**had**_ to reacquire the patience and tolerance he'd had in the beginning, otherwise he was really going to end up _**killing**_ the other man. At the moment his self-control had reached all new lows, and Damon knew that he would do crazy, unforgivable things should his eyes see Jackson and Bonnie together!

No. It is not _**safe **_to go to the cabin. Damon needs to think, formulate a plan, and get his damn head back on straight! Otherwise Jackson _**would**_ end up with Bonnie, and that was something Damon would _**not**_ allow to happen! So for now he will think, calm his anger, sooth his raging thoughts, and think...

******BAMON******

Bonnie sits at the table next to Jackson and across from Gabriel. The gang is preparing dinner together: Bonnie cutting up and making ready the broccoli, Jackson slicing up the potatoes and preparing them to be scalloped, and Gabriel rolling the lemons to be squeezed for the Lemonade. Elena and Stefan are at the stove, seasoning and preparing the steaks together, barely getting any thing done because they keep making goo goo eyes at one another, and Katherine of course is in the living room waiting, _**quite impatiently**_, for the meal to be finished.

She should be happy; Bonnie wants _**so**_ badly to be happy. Damon hadn't returned yet. He'd given her an entire _**five hours** _of Damon freedom! She has experienced five hours where she didn't have to worry about him pestering her to speak to him, didn't have to deal with his overwhelmingly suffocating presence, didn't have to deal with the _**shattering**_ way he _**looks**_ at her. She should be _**ecstatic**_ of this fact, but in all honesty she was any thing but.

In the beginning she had admittedly been...well she'd been **_relieved_ **(not exactly happy) when Jackson arrived alone, but even then, in the deep recesses of her mind, a small part of her felt _**sad**_ at Damon's absence. As much as she loathed, and was _**terrified**_ of his presence at the moment, she _**loved**_ it, _**needed**_ it, even if he was being annoying and persistent. She'd been sad at his absence hours ago, but still her relief had outweighed the letdown, but now, now she's any thing but happy, not to mention she's worried.

Stefan, Jackson, and Elena all laugh at some joke Stefan's made, and Bonnie attempts to listen in on the piquing conversation the adults are having, but her mind is seemingly a million light years away from them. Damon's been gone for over five hours now, and she _**doesn't** _like it! What if something had happened? Why would he stay out so long without giving word to _**anyone?** Inconsiderate Bastard!_ Didn't he know they would worry? That _**she**_ would worry!

Bonnie looks up momentarily, the smell of cooking meat in the oven overwhelming her senses. She watches as Jackson emerges from his seat and delivers the chopped potatoes to an awaiting Stefan and Elena, and she looks down at her broccoli (the last thing to be prepared because of it's short cooking time) distracted. Dinner would be done soon, and Damon _**still wasn't there!**_

She supposes it's her fault. Perhaps Damon simply didn't want to be around **_her_** anymore after she'd blown him off that morning! A part of her hopes this is true, it would make things **so** much easier if he renounced his feelings for her. But the other part feels _**horrible**_ at the mere thought of this prospec. She hadn't **wanted **to ignore Damon, and she definitely didn't want to **hurt** him. She cared about him. She just couldn't face him at the moment...

She knew she was being annoying, completely unreasonable, selfish, and a plain out _**coward**_, but she couldn't _**face him** _that morning. She couldn't face him _**now**_, and no one understood that _**exactly,**_ but her! You _**couldn't**_ understand where she was coming from unless you were _**in**_ her position or _**had been** _before!

She'd _**loved**_ this man! Even back then she'd been _**terrified**_ of doing so because of – well _**who he was**_; he was _**Damon freakin Salvatore**,_ the man with no **_feelings!_** (Okay maybe that was an exaggeration, but he had a _**tough exterior!**_) She hadn't wanted to fall in love with him; she was terrified of doing so, but in the end she'd done it! She'd trusted him, she'd given him her _**heart;** **every thing **_she had to offer, she'd given to him!

And he'd ripped it in two, ripped _**her**_ in two.

And now he was back, **_back_** in her life, and she was falling for him the same way she had before, against her will! Of course she was terrified; she was _**horrified!**_ She was seemingly _**helpless**_ in the situation, and what's more she already had a _**man!**_ She had a _**good**_ man! She wanted to be with _**him!** _She didn't want to lose him; she didn't want to repeat history with Damon! She didn't want a second chance with him!

It's a sad truth, but you'd only understand it after going through the immense pain she had. It'd taken her years to get over it, years to get over **_him_,** and now he was back, ruthlessly trying to win her heart and she couldn't seem to resist his charms. This is why she couldn't talk to him, why she couldn't _**face** _him; because she couldn't _**control**_ herself around him. She didn't _**trust**_ herself around him, and she needed to break things off with him!

Perhaps when the time came, she could just simply _**apologize**_ for the kiss, chalk it up to being in the heat of the moment, and run off! Run quickly off to Jackson...the less "face talk" the better!

That's the plan the witch had come up with, during her previous hours of thinking, at least. Not necessarily a _**good**_ one, but hopefully one that would work. The less talking she did with Damon, the better! And if this didn't work, at least maybe she could opt to talk with him tomorrow, after she'd had a good _**night**_ to mentally prepare herself. Surely she'd be able to face him after a night's preparation!

But, looming discussion aside, the steaks were half-way finished, the lemonade and potatoes currently being prepared, and soon the broccoli would finish off dinner and Damon _**still wasn't there!**_ Bonnie is extremely _**annoyed! **_This was just **_like _**Damon! Only thinking about himself, never thinking of the affect his actions would have on others, worrying _**her** _to no end!

Bonnie runs an agitated hand through her hair, silently swearing she'll hex the infuriating man upon his return, before sighing in frustration and waving off the questioning looks she receives from her companions at her disgruntled demeanor.

She is frustrated, agitated because she _**knows**_ that her on-edged demeanor has to do with more than her _**worrying **_over Damon. She's been trying to ignore the unwanted feeling, but it seems to only grow with each passing minute of his absence.

She misses him.

She misses Damon and she's _**longing**_ for his presence. She _**needs** _his presence, feels somewhat _**empty**_ without it. She hates how he can do this to her. _**Why**_ does he do this to her? Why does he affect her like this? Why is she falling for him again? _**Why the HECK is he still not back yet?**_

Then, at that very moment, as if _**summoned** _by her maddening thoughts, Damon suddenly bursts into the cabin, a shimmering gleam of sweat on his skin, chest moving up and down as he pants heavily.

"Hey!" he pants out of breath before moving through the cabin briskly. "Dinner smells great! Gonna take a shower!" he shouts before disappearing down the hallway.

Bonnie watches Stefan and Elena let out a breath of relief, both sharing surly looks that let the witch know that they two had indeed been worried. The previously silent Gabriel now has a huge grin on his face and is now eagerly trying to refurbish the grownup's conversation and make himself a part of it. Jackson and Katherine don't seem to even **_flinch_** at his arrival, and Bonnie can't help through all her relief, to be slightly let down by Damon's entrance because damn it he hadn't even spared her a **glance! **

Gosh she's bi-polar, she knows it! One minute she's_** praying**_ Damon renounces his feelings for her because she has **_every intention _**of **_breaking his heart_**, and the next she's disappointed he didn't _**look**_ at her? Gah! _**She's a troubled person! **_Well at least Damon was safe, and back home...

Bonnie distractedly takes the broccoli over to Elena and Stefan before taking her old seat again, listening to the sounds of the running shower, trying to calm her beating heart, that immediately took flight upon Damon's arrival.

Her every sense is on high alert and she feels on edge and restless, as if she needs to do something (be near Damon) but doesn't know what (but knew _**exactly**_ what.). She wonders if Damon feels the same way being around her. It's gotten ten times worst since their kiss. The act had seemingly heightened all these feelings and sensations she'd been able to bury fairly well in the past. It seemed to bring powerful **_life _**to that special bond only they shared, seemed to take away all of her strength and will to _**fight**_ Damon, to fight what they had. She was merely hanging on by a thread, fighting for dear life to keep her resolve.

Bonnie listens to the running shower, literally _**feeling**_ Damon's eagerness washing over her in waves, coupling her anticipation. For what she's anticipating, she doesn't know, all she knows is that she's impatiently and somewhat excitedly anticipating **_something_.**

She breaks away from her thoughts at the feel of Jackson's warm hands sliding onto her shoulders and massaging her skin; and the witch melts into his mesmerizing touch, all too grateful for the much needed distraction. She moans softly in appreciation of the work Jackson is putting in on her taunt muscles, the sound of the shower becoming a dull hum she merely hears in the background.

"You're so tense, baby." Jackson's whisper tickles her ear, as his strong hands move up to her neck, kneading the stiff muscles there, and Bonnie shudders at the feel of his lips on her ear and his breath tickling it.

"Been a long day." she whispers, shivering once more when she feels the Latino place a soft kiss at the back of her neck.

"Wanna make it a long night?"

Bonnie hastily breaks away from her boyfriend at his suggestive words, feeling the temptation the words bring upon, but burying the feelings inside as she glares at the handsome man before her, gesturing at the little laughing boy sitting adjacent them and laughing at something his Aunt and Uncle have said.

"Not in front of Gabe!" she admonishes halfheartedly, smiling incredulously at the man before turning away from him, purposefully ignoring his flirtacious and enticing wink as she disappears into the living room.

She walks through the house, not even realizing where she's going until she's in front of the bathroom door, staring at a towel-clad Damon before it.

"Why hello Bonnie." the blue-eyed vampire smoothly says, voice deep and alluring as he straightens slightly at her sudden presence, and brings the small towel away from his wet locks to non-distractedly stare the beautiful witch down.

Bonnie is momentarily rendered speechless, skin feeling hot and tingly at Damon's unabashed stare, eyes glued to his glimmering rock-hard abs. She shudders slightly at the realization that the only thing separating her from the godlike thing that is naked Damon is merely a white towel around his waist. She groans inwardly cursing her feet for having a mind of their own and leading her to the man she was so fiercely trying to avoid, before she takes a retreating step back.

"I should probably just -

"Don't go!" Damon quickly objects, moving into Bonnie, instantly dropping the small towel in his hands as he places both his hands on the wall on either side of Bonnie's head, effectively boxing her in.

"Damon" Bonnie softly objects, placing both her hands on the personal space violating vampire's chest and shoving, but Damon of course doesn't budge and inch, and the witch is only left with the immediate regret of attempting the move because feeling Damon's strong chest beneath her fingers only makes her want to pull him _**into**_ her and _**crash**_ her lips into his. Removing that damn towel from around his waist doesn't sound like a bad idea either...

"Bonnie, we need to talk about last night." Damon tells her, eyes staring down into hers intently, and Bonnie can't believe her ears. She'd already been panicky due to her less than innocent thoughts of Damon a couple of seconds ago, but now she might just have an all-out heart attack!

"We have nothing to talk about." she quickly replies, heart racing at the constant reminder that Jackson is **_in the other room_!** There is a high percentage chance that he's listening in on their conversation, with ease, right now as they spoke! And he **_couldn't_** find out about the kiss! Not like this!

They couldn't discuss it! **_Not now_**, in the cabin! Bonnie would deny _**every thing **_at all costs! Jackson was _**not**_ going to find out this way! Her heart is beating at a newly acquired swiftness at the mere thought of her fiance finding out about her mistake in such a horrible way.

"Yes we do! You can't just act like nothing happened -

"**Nothing** happened, Damon!" Bonnie quickly interrupts, fixing the vampire with a pointed stare that he doesn't seem to pick up on. "Now let me go, **now.**" she orders, fixing the man with a firm warning gaze.

"Bonnie you can't -

"_**Now!**_" the witch fiercely repeats before using her powers to direct an electric shock through Damon's hands that has him backing away swiftly and her flashing him an apologetic look before making a hasty escape back into the kitchen.

******BAMON******

Dinner is tense, to say the absolute _**least.**_

Damon has a _**deep**_ frown on his face, in fact he looks absolutely **_murderous_, **to the point where and _**no one** _has to guts to ask him what's up. Not even _**Katherine** _utters a joke or remark, and Jackson refrains from even _**looking**_ at him.

Everyone is seemingly walking on eggshells, eating their meal in silence, refraining from speaking, out of fear that they will say something that will in fact set the oldest Salvatore off, making him _**crack**_ and in fact _**murder**_ someone, as he looks as he is seconds away from doing.

Bonnie shovels her food around her plate, slowly eating but not really tasting. She knows exactly what the reason for Damon's foul mood is. Her.

In all honesty, she should be a little afraid. This type of intense anger was the sort that normally led to one of her and Damon's intense war battles with lots of yelling, cursing, fire, and biting, not to mention **_great_, **extremely _**hot**_ make-up sex. But that was _**obviously**_ (for **_so_** many reasons) not going to happen this time, so what now? How would Damon deal with his anger this time? _**Violence?**_

Bonnie should be scared at the unpredicatable factor of it all, but she's not. She just feels bad, guilty and bad...

They make it through about ten minutes of painfully silenced dinner before Damon finally cracks.

_'Are you really just gonna pretend last night didn't **happen?**' _his ferocious growl enters Bonnie's thoughts, and she swiftly looks up, caught off guard by the sudden mind invasion, to see the vampire's vicious eyes zeroed in on hers.

Again, she should be scared, but she's not. She's more so frustrated that he's resulted to psychological communication once more! And against her wishes!

_'I thought I asked you to **speak aloud.**'_ she tosses back, a matching scowl (though admittedly not nearly as deep as Damon's) on her face.

_'Well you're not **speaking to me** at all, so...'_

_'Don't do this.'_ Bonnie sends in reply to Damon's booming, furious, and persistent voice, her face blank as she stares into his intense eyes.

_'Do **what?**'_ comes the vampire's incredulous reply.

_**'This!** Force me to talk about what happened!'_

_'Well it **happened**, Bonnie, **okay?** It happened! And the fact that you may try to **ignore** and **forget** it doesn't change that!'_

_'**It doesn't matter!**'_ the witch suddenly explodes, glaring at the raged vampire, jaw clenched and eyes piercing, shining. _'Don't you see? It doesn't matter if it **happened** or not because it doesn't **change a thing!** I'm **still** engaged to **Jackson**, and you're still with Katherine!' _she wills him to see, the intensity in her face calming slightly as she stares at him with intent eyes.

_'Oh my gosh woman, would you get it through your **thick** skull? **I** – **can't** – **stand** – **Katherine!**'_ comes Damon's reply and his frown only seems to deepen along with it as his eyes light with fury and he glares angrily at Bonnie.

_'Well that doesn't change the fact that I'm with Jackson!'_ Bonnie maintains, holding her ground.

_'Because you're too **afraid** to be with me!'_

_'Because I **love** him!'_

_'Liar'...'You don't love him like you love me.'_

_'Fuck you!'_

Bonnie looks up, glaring furiously at the blue-eyed vampire across from her, chest heaving as she stares at him, enraged by his previous words. How dare him tell _**her**_ how she felt about _**Jackson**_, how she felt about _**him!**_

_'Gladly babe; been **waiting** for the opportunity!'_ Damon throws back, in response to Bonnie's previous words, smirking darkly as he directs a heated stare of his own over to the witch.

_'Gosh, you're a pig! Get out of my head!' _Bonnie orders, trying fiercely to completely close off her brain so that the infuriating man can no longer communicate with her. It's a feat she's never been able to do but gosh she really _**needs**_ to do it at the moment!

_'Don't get mad cause I'm calling your bull shit! You may love this jackass, but you're not **in love** with him; you're in love with **me.**'_

_'Damon get out of my **fucking** head!'_ Bonnie glares at her ex helplessly, willing him to leave her alone. She can't take this anymore. She can't take it!

_'Stop running, Bon. Aren't you tired of running?'_

_**'I said get out!'**_

Silence.

Damon doesn't send another thought, and Bonnie runs a hand through her air, eyes shining with unshed tears as she glares at the blue-eyed vampire, who in turn only stares back, a blank expression on his face.

It takes all of two seconds to realize that all eyes are on them. Their verbal conversation, intense stares and murderous glares have gained the attention of every one in the entire room. But Damon could care less. He just continues to gaze at Bonnie, a solemn look on his face. And she glares back because it's too painful to look at anyone else in the room, should she see their looks of concern and question. She may very well break into hysterical crying.

_'Then tell me that kiss last night meant absolutely nothing to you...Tell me **that**, and I'll leave you in peace; you can **marry** Jack-ass and live happily ever after.' _Damon's soft words enter Bonnie's mind and she fights off a sob as she stares at the vampire, nostrils flared, eyes shining, wanting nothing more than to shut the man up, shut him _**out of her life.**_ Forever.

But as much as she wants to do this, as much as she wants to tell him that kiss meant _**nothing**_, she can't. Because that kiss meant the world.

So she doesn't say any thing, not a single word...

_'Well there's my answer.' _comes Damon's quiet response after a couple of moments of silent staring between himself and Bonnie. _'Stop running Bonnie. This is a race you will not win. I love you.'_ he tells the beautiful witch, face solemn and eyes shining intensely as he stares at her.

_'Please. **Don't** say that...'_ her whisper of a voice pleads with him, her eyes shining more than ever now, at the sound of the three words. She can't _**stand** _it when he uses them.

_'I mean it, Bon; you know I do._**_ I love you. _**_So stop running.'_ comes Damon's determined reply before he suddenly emerges from the table and hastily makes his way through the living room before disappearing down the dark hallway.

******BAMON******

It's an hour later when Damon finally reemerges from his room, due to Stefan's prompts, and when he finally enters the living room after his brother he's surprised to see that everyone is there, sitting on the couches, sitting on chairs from the kitchen they'd brought into the room. _**Everyone's**_ in there, all _**seven**_ of them, as if they're about to have some kind of house meeting or something.

"What's going on?" the dark haired man asks, confused as he stares around the room at the people. Bonnie's sitting next to Jackson on the couch in front of the fireplace, avoiding his gaze. Jackson is staring off into the fire, Katherine is gazing at her manicured nails as she lazily picks at them, and Stefan, Elena, and Gabriel are all smiling excitedly at him.

"The dumbest thing I've ever heard of." Katherine speaks before anyone else can, answering Damon's previous question as she rolls her eyes in annoyance.

_"**Well**..." _Elena starts through clenched teeth, opting to ignore the female vampire's remark and focus on her happy mood. "I figured we've all be so _**stressed** _lately. It's time to break loose! And I've been eyeballing this CD ever since we got here, so I think it's time we broke it in, so..._**karaoke time!**" _the beautiful brunette exclaims, holding up the CD case in her hands.

It's at this time that Damon notices the lit TV screen in the corner of the room with the yellow menu screen that says "Party Tyme Karaoke – Duet Edition." The blue-eyed man grimaces at the words.

"You're kidding right?"

"C'mon bro, it'll be fun." Stefan directs a teasing, encouraging smile at Damon, eyes twinkling with mischievous as he does so. "She's making all of us do it so just be a good sport...Besides, you need to loosen up!" the younger Salvatore says lowly so that only his brother can hear, before he makes his way over to the fire place and picks up a glass bowl that is lying near it.

Damon rolls his eyes, annoyed by the fact that _**Stefan **_is telling **_him_ **he needs to loosen up, and it's _**true! And what the heck did JP buy karaoke CDs for? Freak!**_

"Fine" the rogue vampire sighs in defeat before taking a seat next to the couch Elena and Stefan are sitting on.

"Okay, well Elena has put everyone's name in this bowl on a sheet of paper. We will draw to see who's goin first, _**that person** _will then draw _**another**_ name from the bowl and that's the person they will be singing with. The same person who just drew will then draw a _**song**_ out of the song bowl, and then the fun begins." Stefan instructs, smiling cutely before glancing over at his nephew. "Gabriel will you do the honors?" he questions and the four year old grins widely before running over to his Uncle.

The room is quiet: Bonnie, Jackson, and Damon all praying they don't get picked, Stefan passive, Elena and Gabriel praying they **do** get picked, and Katherine rolling her eyes, bored, and plain out annoyed with the entire situation.

"E-L-E-N-A" the little four year old reads off. "Elena!" he finally exclaims excitedly, grinning proudly at his reading, knowing he's correct, having seen his Aunt's name light up his mother's phone with txt messages plenty of times to recognize it.

Stefan smiles proudly at the little vamp/witch hybrid.

"Good job, baby!" Bonnie calls, grinning happily at her son, who blushes under the praise of the adults before making his way back to his seat on the couch beside his mother.

"Elena" the gray-eyed vampire repeats decisively, smiling adorably at his wife who in turn winks at him before sauntering playfully over to him and choosing another name from the song bowl.

"Bonnie" the beautiful brunette grins, proudly showing the group her slip of paper before folding both pieces back up and placing them back into the bowl.

The green-eyed woman in question sighs heavily before dramatically dragging herself off of the couch and coming to stand next to her best friend, a small, dreading smile on her face.

Elena grins widely wrapping an arm around Bonnie's shoulders before leaning conspiratorially into the witch.

"Be a good sport, and have fun or..."

She veers off, whispering the last part into the other woman's ears. Something about playing monopoly, Damon catches, and can't help but chuckle inside at his sister-in-law because Bonnie **_hates_** monopoly, calls it the game that never ends; (clearly she wasn't playing it right) threatening her with prospects of playing it would surely get her whatever she wanted.

The witch in question looks at her friend, facial expression horrified as she stares at the brunette in disbelief.

"No need for cruelty." she tells the dark haired woman who in turn arches her eyebrows in victory, before grinning good-naturedly and drawing a slip of paper from the song bowl, which just so happens to be in her hands.

She opens the small slip of paper, a look of confusion overcoming her features, at the sight of the song on it, as she hands it off to Bonnie.

"Ooh! I actually like this song!" the beautiful woman exclaims excitedly.

"What is it?" Elena questions, bewildered.

"Remember that Disney movie we watched with Gabe that time about the Princess who needed protection and ended up staying with the Father-daughter pair who lived in the swamp, and she and the daughter didn't get along..." Bonnie rattles off.

"Starring the real-life best friends?" Elena questions skeptically, arching a confused eyebrow.

"Yeah!" the witch exclaims in confirmation, happy that her friend at least remembered the movie. Perhaps she remembered the song as well..."Well this is the song they made for that movie!" she explains.

"Oh!" Elena immediately shouts, a look of realization overcoming her beautiful features. "Wait. I don't really know it..." she muses to herself, smile diminishing as she muses to herself. "I know it kind of, but not really..."

"Oh" Bonnie sighs. "Well you could just pick something else..." she shrugs off.

"No!" Elena immediately objects, shaking her head for affect. "No second picks, that's the rule! Do the song whether you know it or not!" she rattles off, and Bonnie can't help but giggle at her friend's excitement. It's like she's channeling Caroline's pep or something. Elena was more the chill type, like herself, it was amusing and quite endearing to see her acting childishly giddy about something.

"Okay. "_One in the Same_" it is." the green-eyed witch smiles, before grabbing one of the cordless mics JP had previously connected to the TV, and taking her place in front of the group.

"Hit it Mistro!" Elena exclaims, putting down her bowl and grabbing a mic of her own.

Damon watches amusedly as the two woman jump up and down, moving their heads side to side to the beat of the music.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!...La la la la la la"

"I'll take the pink lines!" Elena shouts out before they begin singing.

Elena takes Demi's lines and Bonnie does Selena's, Elena insisting on singing the high parts to the harmonies and Bonnie having no problem taking the low.

Elena's not the best singer, and...well Bonnie's pretty darn good, but the witch is seemingly not trying. She shouts along haphazardly with her best friend, both making a mess out of the song, but having a blast doing so.

Damon's never heard the song before but it seems to be about friendship, a perfect song for the duo to sing, and the music's not bad either. He wonders what it sounds like when the singing's not horrible.

He watches as Elena and Bonnie dance around, seemingly having the time of their lives, mesmerizing all of the men in the room, and extremely annoying the only other female there.

Bonnie air guitar's and Elena mimics the drum playing, both girls jumping up and down to the beat of the song and moving their heads up and down, causing their hair to move all around, and Damon thinks Bonnie looks like some kind of sexy rock star, her beautiful hair moving all around, her lithe body shaking and bouncing up and down, the huge grin on her face. He swears he's never seen anything more sexy. Stefan seems to agree with his observation as he stares at Elena with appreciating eyes that are slightly glazed over with lust.

Damon purposefully evades Jackson's gaze and reaction to the performance.

Finally when the two women are done with the song, everyone cheers, (except Katherine of course, who Boos.) Jackson and Stefan wolf whistling, Gabriel cheering, and Damon clapping his hands in silent appreciation of the performance. The friends smile at their audience and take a bow together before Bonnie retakes her seat and Elena accepts the name bowl from Stefan and draws a new name out it.

"Katherine" she says face expressionless as she eyes the vampire expectantly, slowly making her way over to her with the bowl of names.

"Please" the leather clad woman scoffs before emerging from her seat. "You're out of your mind if you think I'm going to get up there and _**sing.**_ Gah! If this day could get any **gayer?** I'm out of here!" the vampire exclaims, staring at the occupants of the room distastefully before exiting the cabin.

There's complete silence for a while. Then...

"Way to go, Elena, drawing Katherine's name!" Bonnie cheers ethusiastically, and the room erupts into laughter, happy to be rid of the negative vampire, as Elena bows dramatically.

"My pleasure!" the beautiful woman says, curtsying playfully before tossing the old name paper aside and drawing a new one out of the bowl.

"Stefan" the brunette announces, smirking flirtatiously at the man a couple of feet away from her.

The room erupts into suggestive "Oohs" and even Damon joins in because, strangely enough this **is** making him loosen up. Gabriel laughs at the grown-up's behavior before watching as his Uncle Stefan slowly approaches his wife, accepting the name bowl from her before quickly and expertly stealing a kiss from her just as she's about to retreat back to her seat.

The room erupts into cheers once more at the youngest Salvator's stealthy action and Elena grins widely at the sudden gesture, returning the kiss briefly before her husband whispers something into her ear that has her wiping her lips and hastily making her way back to her seat, skin a slightly crimson color.

Damon smirks to himself, inwardly proud of his baby brother, thinking back to the many colors he'd managed to turn Bonnie's face by whispering vulgar things to her; it was especially fun to do while in public...

He briefly glances at the witch, at the thought of the many fond memories, only to see her grinning widely, Jackson's arm wrapped around her shoulder as she stares up at Stefan in anticipation of who he'll pick.

Damon's eyes zero in on the offensive arm around her shoulder before he hastily looks away, fighting to maintain his good mood, but growing annoyed and jealous of Jackson's continuous closeness to his witch.

Stefan draws from the bowl, a small smirk overcoming his features at the name on the paper.

"Elena" he announces, showing the paper off the the group, hooded eyes all the while glued to the beautiful brunette.

The three adults produce another round of "Oohs," as to which Elena turns and mock glares at them, before reaching an awaiting Stefan who draws a slip of paper from the song bowl, eyes all the while twinkling at Elena as he does so.

_Yup! He definitely **was** turned on by the brunette's previous performance, and yup! Those two would definitely be having some **very** enjoyable, probably **wild** sex that night..._

"Lucky" he smiles to the group, handing a mic over to Elena before scanning to the song on the CD and pressing the play button on the remote control.

_'Yes you are, little brother, yes you are.'_ Damon can't help but think as he longingly stares at Bonnie wishing he could sleep with _**her**_ that night; they didn't even have to have **_sex! _**He could just hold her, he muses to himself before finally forcing his eyes away from the woman.

The gray eyed vampire, looks deeply into Elena's eyes, smiling adorably and momentarily caressing her cheek before beginning the song.

_"Do you hear me? I'm talking to you_

_Across the water, across the deep, blue_

_Ocean, under the open sky_

_Oh my. Baby I'm tryin"_

Stefan sings, sounding a great deal better than Jason Mraz, which shouldn't be possible but he does. The Salvatore's were just _**that **_good of singers.

Elena looks deep into Stefan's eyes, staring at him as if he's the most beautiful thing she's ever seen, melting at the romance of their situation and the gooey feelings she gets from Stefan singing a song to her, looking so deeply into her eyes and singing to her.

Elena sings, and her part is off-key, the harmonies are off, but Stefan doesn't seem to mind at all. In fact he seems to _**love**_ it. He stares at Elena with eyes full of adoration, and the entire scene seems like something out of some romance movie.

Damon watches the couple, happy for his brother and his _**obvious**_ happiness, and wishing that he, himself had that happiness, when suddenly he realizes what an _**opportunity**_ this is. This, right here, this karaoke session has presented him with a _**huge**_ opportunity. _**He could sing a song to Bonnie!**_ She used to _**love**_ it when he sang to her! He could sing a love song to her, one that showcased his feelings for her!

If she wouldn't communicate with him through talking, perhaps he could communicate with her through _**song**!_

He could only hope he'd be gifted with a _**love**_ song. He'd sing it to **her**, pour his heart out; it didn't matter the partner!

Damon silently prays for the chance to win Bonnie over by song as he watches Stefan and Elena finish singing the last couple notes of their song before kissing briefly, chastely, two times. He looks over at Bonnie and is astonished to see her eyes darting away from him.

She was _**staring**_ at him! He wonders if she were thinking about him, thinking about him as she watched Elena and Stefan, thinking about times when they were as happy as those too... She was staring at him!

The blue-eyed vampire stares longingly at the beautiful witch before wrenching his eyes away from her at the sound of his name.

"Damon" Stefan reads aloud, before grinning at his brother, walking over to his seat and handing the name bowl off to him before he and Elena take their seats.

The dark haired vampire gulps briefly before emerging from his seat and walking over to the fire place, bowl in hand. He eyes the group, a faux calm, nonchalant look on his face, because inside he is _**freaking out**_, praying that the man upstairs provide him with the proper song to win Bonnie over with.

He draws a paper from the name bowl and is almost rendered speechless at the sight of the name on it.

"Bonnie" he speaks, expression unreadable as he shows the paper to the group before placing both names back into the bowl.

He silently watches as the witch hesitates before standing from her seat and slowly making her way over to him.

Elena and Stefan watch the two with piqued interests, eyes narrowed as they watch their every movement, silently praying for the best. Gabriel grins widely at the pair, eyes brimming with hope, and Jackson inwardly fumes, a small frown on his face as he stares at the couple.

Damon for one, can't seem to stop his heart from hammering unmercifully in his chest, and Bonnie is looking any where **but** at Damon, cursing every thing she can think of for landing her in her current situation, and willing her galloping heart to calm.

In an attempt to calm his nerves, or maybe just to busy himself with something other than staring at Bonnie, Damon quickly draws a song out of the song bowl before turning to the group and reading the title off of the paper.

"How do you keep the music playing"

******BB******

Bonnie's heart sinks into the pit of her stomach at the sound of the song she and Damon will be singing.

"How do you keep the music playing"

The sound of Damon's voice announcing the title seems to repeat in her brain on some horrible, endless loop, and oh my gosh she thinks he'd smiled after reading it; she's almost positive he had.

He was happy about this song choice! Well she wasn't! She wasn't happy _**at all!**_

It isn't that she **dislikes** this song, she actually likes it a lot. It had been one of her Gram's favorites, not to mention it_** is**_ one of her dad's. It's just that the old song, much like "Gravity," is so **them.** It seems to sum her and Damon's relationship up in a nutshell.

Bonnie doesn't want to sing it. She doesn't want to sing _**with Damon**_, and she definitely doesn't want to sing **_this song _**with him! She would like nothing more than to run away, flee the scene **or** straight up **refuse** to sing! But that would be seriously **cowardice**, and she's been nothing but a coward **all day long**, she's been **running** all day long, avoiding Damon at all costs. The least she could do was sing a stupid karaoke song with him! She wasn't running away from **this** as well! She'd toughen it out and do it!

"Ahem"

Bonnie is broken away from her self imposed pep talk at the sound of Damon clearing his throat.

The witch looks up and meets his concerned gaze, probably brought on by the fact that she's been frozen still and absolutely silent ever since he's announced their song title.

"Ready?" the blue-eyed vampire gently questions, and Bonnie wrenches her eyes away from his penetrating gaze before nodding.

Getting through the song didn't actually require **eye contact **with her partner…

Damon presses play on the remote and Bonnie stiffens slightly at the sound of the familiar piano chords. It truly is such a beautiful song; if only she were singing it with Jackson...

_"How do you keep the music playing?_  
_How do you make it last?"_

Damon's voice penetrates Bonnie's ears and her breath literally catches in her throat. She'd forgotten how truly amazing his voice was: so raw, soulful, strong, and currently putting a certain "Kings of Leon" spin on the James Ingram song. The mere sound of his melodious voice makes her heart increase in speed, and the fact that she can _**feel**_ his eyes burning into her lowered head, all the while he's singing, does absolutely _**nothing** _to calm her beating drum.

_"How do you keep the song from fading too fast?"_

Damon finishes, leaving the song open for Bonnie to begin her part.

The beautiful witch can practically **see** the intense look in Damon's eyes. She knows he is more than likely singing this song with the most passionate conviction she'd ever witness. She can **_hear_** it oozing out of his voice, can see him literally asking her, "How do _**we**_ keep the song from fading too fast." But she tries not to concentrate on it, tries not to concentrate on the lyrics and how closely related they are to her and Damon's current relationship. She can't pay attention to that or she won't be able to make it through the song. She must concentrate on singing, nothing else, this is the only way she'll make it through.

_"How do you lose yourself to someone?_  
_And never lose your way"_

Bonnie sings, closing her eyes and keeping them shut with extreme tightness and determination, trying to ignore Damon's burning gaze on her, trying to ignore the strength of the lyrics she's singing.

_"How do you not run out of new things to say?"_

She finishes, letting out a breath of relief and opening her eyes again as Damon starts to sing once more.

_"And since we know we're always changing_  
_How can it be the same?"_

Bonnie gasps in surprise as Damon suddenly grabs one of her hands as he simultaneously sings his next part, completely catching the witch off guard.

She looks up abruptly, surprise in her hazel eyes as they meet his ocean blue orbs; and she is almost literally knocked off of her feet by the intensity openly displayed in his pools.

_"And tell me how year after year_

_You're sure your heart will fall apart_

_Each time you hear his name"_

Bonnie returns, gingerly moving her hand out of Damon's grasp as she sings, looking away from the vampire's burning gaze, and running an overwhelmed and frustrated hand through her curly locks before Damon erupts into the chorus of the song.

_"I know the way I feel for you_  
_It's now or never!"_

Damon sings with power behind his awing voice as he grabs both of Bonnie's hands this time and holds them tightly, gently but tightly, and sings to her, leaving no room for her to escape his grasp.

_"The more I love the more that I'm afraid"_

Bonnie sings, glaring angrily at Damon's chest, refusing to meet his eyes as she fruitlessly attempts to wrench her hands from his grasp.

_"That in your eyes I may not see forever…_  
_**Forever...**"_

The witch sings softly before Damon's soft voice joins in on the last "forever," as he lets go one of Bonnie's hands and uses his free hand to grasp Bonnie's chin and tilt her face up, gently forcing her wandering eyes to meet his.

The little witch literally feels herself melt into a puddle of liquid at the unyielding and unashamed plea in Damon's eyes, the love, intensity, and sorrow in them.

_"If we can be the best of lovers_  
_Yet be the best of friends"_

He sings before Bonnie promptly joins in, almost completely missing her part from the completely overwhelming emotions that suddenly plummet violently into her at the sudden intense and passionate atmosphere their karaoke session is taking on.

_"If we can try with every day to make it better as it grows"_

They sing together, Damon looking deeply into Bonnie's jade orbs, and Bonnie looking back with vulnerable orbs of her own, seemingly unable to look away from his azure pools as he continues to sing to her.

_"With any luck, then I suppose_

_the music **never ends**"_

Bonnie joins in and they sing the last two words in harmony before Bonnie erupts back into the chorus, wrenching her eyes away from Damon's and stepping away from the vampire as she does so, and Damon finally lets lose Bonnie's hand before swiftly shocking her my moving abruptly moving to stand before her once more and lightly grabbing her arm, causing her to look up and meet his gaze once more, his eyes passionate, shining and speaking volumes as he belts out lines of his own, overlapping the witch's.

_" I know -_

_**How do we keep the music playing**_

_the way I feel for you, is now or never_

_**How do we make it last**_

_the more I love, the more that I'm afraid_

_**How do we keep the song from fading**_

_that in your eyes I may not see forever..._

_**Keep the song from fading to fast**_

_Forever..."_

They finish staring passionately at one another, chests heaving slightly from the intensity of their singing, Bonnie's eyes brimming with tears and Damon's intense.

Bonnie bites into her bottom lip, averting her eyes from Damon's penetrating ones, overwhelmed by his close vicinity and the intensity of the song their singing, that she'd promised herself she wouldn't dwell on but she _**is**_ dwelling on. She wills her beating heart to calm down, but it's extremely hard with the way Damon is staring at her, and the way he's making her feel, as if he's all over her: his scent, his voice, his presence all around her. As if she's _**drowning**_ in his love for her, his passion, his entire being.

_"If we can be the best of lovers_

_Yet be the best of friends."_

They both sing together, one final time, in harmony as Damon's hand softly grasps Bonnie's cheek and moves her head until she's looking back into his eyes, and the gentleness of his touch nearly brings the brimming tears pouring out of her eyes.

_"If we can try with every day to make it better as it grows"_

They continue and Bonnie finds herself closing her eyes and leaning into Damon's hand on her cheek, his touch

_"With any luck then I suppose_

_the music **never ends**"_

They finish the last part together, staring intensely into the others' eyes, seemingly completely forgetting the world around them as the last chords of the song play out before it ends.

At the sound of the hesitant claps of the people around them, excluding Gabriel who's clapping wholeheartedly, a happy grin on his face, and Jackson who's not clapping at all, Bonnie and Damon finally break away from their thoughts, leave the world they'd temporarily become citizens of where only the two of them existed, and come out of their temporary stupor, glancing around at the people around them.

Elena is looking at the two of them, a slight smile on her face, as she seemingly stares at them deep in thought. Stefan's face is intense as he studies the couple closely, forehead not brooding, but a serious look of concentration across his features. Gabriel's grinning gleefully, staring with wide doe-like eyes at his parents, looking as if it's Christmas and he's just been given the present he's been begging for. And Jackson...Jackson has a deep frown on his face, and his eyes are narrowed at something as he glares, the wheels seemingly turning in his head all the while.

Bonnie studies her fiance with concerned eyes before following his eyes and noticing he's eying her cheek.

The witch gasps in surprise as she notices she'd somehow, during the ending of the song she supposes, moved her hand up to rest on top of Damon's on her cheek, holding his hand to her. At the realization of the intimate caress, and the fact that it's being done blatantly in front of her fiance, she swiftly moves her hand away, blushing profusely, the most sickening feeling of guilt at the pit of her stomach as she hastily moves away from the vampire's touch and exits the cabin.

"Bonnie!" Damon immediately shouts in concern before swiftly moving after her and exiting the log house.

"Bon…" Jackson starts, a displeased frown on his face, but concern still found in his voice as he moves to exit the cabin, but finds that Stefan has a gentle yet firm hand on his chest, keeping him from moving.

"Let them talk." the youngest Salvatore orders quietly, a solemn look on his broody face.

"Stefan, get the hell off of me!"

"Let them talk, Jackson!" Stefan raises his voice slightly, still ever maintaining his calm demeanor as he quickly recovers from the shove, the Latino had briefly caught him off guard with, and pushes the now standing vampire back onto the couch all in one swift move. "They have a _**history.**_ No matter how much you try to ignore it!...They have things they need to sort out." the gray eyed man calmly but firmly informs, a sympathetic look on his features as he eyes the other man he'd come to call a friend. "Do you want Bonnie to be confused about her feelings? She _**needs** _to figure this out if the two of you are going to stand a fighting chance!"

The Latino vampire stares up at Stefan, chest heaving, eyes passionate and glaring as if he's ready to kill. He stays like this for a few seconds before his face finally softens slightly and suddenly he's gone, disappearing at vampire speed into his and Bonnie's bedroom.

Stefan and Elena share a looming look of dread with one another before deciding to tuck their oddly cheerful nephew into bed. As if they didn't have enough drama on their plates! The proverbial _**shit**_ was surely about to hit the fan!

******BAMON******

"Bonnie! Bonnie, _**stop!...**_I'm sorry!" Damon sputters as he finally catches up to the witch, grabbing onto her arm and turning her around, only to be shocked senseless by the sight of the tears cascading down her cheeks. "I got…carried away? I'm sorry! Please don't cry." he sputters, looking helplessly down at the beautiful woman, wanting so badly to wipe away her tears, but sensing that she will not appreciate his touch right now.

"Why is this happening?" she demands softly, brokenly, tears pouring unceasingly out of her beautiful eyes. "_**Why?**_ I don't want this to happen?" she exclaims, voice shaking with tears, the sound of it nearly shattering Damon's resolve, his _**entire**_ being.

"Want what, Bonnie?" the blue-eyed vampire questions desperately, eyes shining with concern as he watches Bonnie cry, literally feeling _**pain**_ from not being able to do any thing to stop it, from not being able to do _**any thing** _to comfort her.

"Why'd you have to come back, Damon? Why'd you have to come?" she asks somewhat deliriously, her voice soft and shaky as she silently cries.

"Oh Bonnie." Damon sighs affectionately no longer able to keep from touching her as he moves his left pointer finger out to gently wipe away the tears on one side of her cheek, a pained expression on his face as he does so. "I love you. That's why I had to come back." he softly tells her, sighing when she doesn't move away from his touch, and thanking God when she closes her eyes and absentmindedly moves into it.

"Now every thing's so screwed up." she quietly tells him sadly, finally opening up her doe-like eyes and pouting slightly at the man before her. And Damon can't help but smile slightly at the adorable look, thinking Bonnie looks so pretty when she cries, her cheeks and nose rosy, her beautiful eyes slightly pink. She looks so pretty. If only she weren't so sad...

"Screwed up is always one step away from fitting together, Bon." Damon smiles down at the witch, bringing his other hand up to join the one already caressing her tears away, and gently grasping her cheeks in his palms before wiping her tears away with his fingertisp. "Kind of like us…" he adds, bending slightly and kissing Bonnie on top of her pink nose.

At this action, Bonnie sighs heavily before moving away from Damon's touch and fixing the man with an admonishing look.

"You've got to stop doing this, okay?" she tells him, running a bothered hand through her curly locks. "Stop the flirting, the mind invasions...stop _**looking**_ at me like that." she adds the last part, taking note of the intense, passionate, gaze of love the vampire is directing at her as she speaks.

"I can't help it!" the blue-eyed vampire laughs incredulously at the request of the woman before him, seemingly amused by her words. "This is how I always look at you." he smiles charmingly, staring tenderly at the beautiful witch.

"Well stop, Damon!" Bonnie orders, feeling her heart speed at the fond look Damon's giving her. He sure was relentless.

The green-eyed woman sighs heavily, somewhat in defeat before directing a decisive look over to her vampire ex.

"Look, I know we need to talk about last night..." she starts hesitantly. The karaoke session had all but _**hammered**_ that fact into her head. Only now she's not so sure she'll be able to break things off with him...She still had feelings for him, _**strong**_ feelings, feelings that were getting harder and harder to deny each day. "We'll talk some time tomorrow." she informs, staring into his light blue orbs, trying to ignore the way they light up at her words, and the way it makes her heart stop. "We'll discuss every thing I've been holding off on, okay? But until then, I just need to _**think...**_with an open mind. I don't need you distracting me so please, _**stop**..._lay low at least." Bonnie pleads, not wanting to deal with Damon's longing, intense gazes, Damon's mental conversations, or Damon's ruthless flirting.

"I can try." comes Damon's stubborn reply after a moment of brief silence. "No promises though, because I know Jackie-poo _**won't be **_laying low."

At the mention of Jackson, a barrel of emotions overcome the witch, the most resounding one: guilt, shame. Bonnie feels horrible. Jackson didn't deserve this, he didn't deserve her kissing another man, touching another man, _**falling**_ for another man. He deserved her _**100 percent.**_ He deserved her faithfulness, but faithfulness seemed to be something Bonnie couldn't give at the moment.

She was falling _**hard**_, and very much against her will, for Damon Salvatore. As hard as she tried, and she tried **hard**, she couldn't stop herself from falling for him. Perhaps Elena was right. Perhaps her and Damon were meant to be. But Bonnie couldn't **stand** to hurt Jackson, but that again that was _**exactly**_ what she was doing now.

He **_knew_** what was going on between her and Damon, she could see it in his eyes when she'd stormed out of the cabin, he knew. She was hurting him, and he didn't deserve it. He'd been nothing but a good man to her since she'd met him. She loved him, she honestly did, and she didn't think she could chose Damon over him. She didn't think she could break his heart for Damon. But honestly, when she was with Damon, she nearly forgot about Jackson completely...

Bonnie sighs, breaking out of her thoughts and coming back to the present, an amused smile on her face at the thought of Damon's previous words and the vampire's stubborn childishness, inwardly cursing herself for finding it endearing.

"You don't know that." she says in reply to his previous statement.

"Pfft" Damon scoffs in reply, rolling his eyes slightly dramatically before fixing the witch with a smile of his own.

"We'll talk tomorrow. Go get a good night's rest." he quietly tells his the green-eyed beauty, briefly reaching out and touching her cheek before sighing and bringing his hand back to his side.

"Goodnight, Damon." Bonnie softly says, eyes studying him somewhat intensely before she suddenly turns on her heels and heads back towards the cabin.

"Goodnight" Damon softly echoes, watching Bonnie's retreating form, thinking he'll feed quickly, get his cheeks that nice rosy color before he returns to the log.

"That kiss last night…" Bonnie suddenly speaks, abruptly turning on her heel and facing Damon with an intent gaze.

The vampire in question looks up immediately, meeting the witch's gaze with awaiting eyes that hold childlike excitement in them, at her sudden words.

The beautiful woman briefly looks up into the night sky, a dreamy expression on her face, as if she's trying to find the words to describe, but soon this disappears and she sighs heavily, a defeated look on her face.

"Never mind" she says softly, and Damon's face falls slightly as he watches her exit before reentering the cabin.

The vampire takes off swiftly, moving further into the forest, in search of a nicely sized deer.

As he feeds, he mulls over the events of the day: his brother not believing him, Bonnie **_ignoring_** him, his argument with Jackson, the gathering of his thoughts, the tense dinner, and the karaoke session (Which by the way _**proved**_ him and Bonnie were meant to be together because _**not only **_did he get to sing her a _**love**_ song, he got to sing with _**her! ****God**_ and the angels _**above**_ wanted them two together!). For some reason, Jackson's words, from the forest, echo continuously in his head, specifically the ones about him and Bonnie arguing every day and not having a stable relationship. This had bothered him more than he let on.

Before he goes to sleep that night, Damon promises to start his and Bonnie's talk of carefree. He will try his best not to argue with her, and if they _**must**_ argue, it won't be in the beginning of their conversation. He will start things off _**pleasantly.**_ This is the last thought the vampire thinks before slipping into a much needed slumber.

******BB******

Bonnie gets up early the next morning. She's wide awake and refreshed, having strategically showered the previous night in order to make a swift and silent departure into the woods. This is her and Damon's agreed meeting place, the place they will have the ever looming "talk" they so desperately needed to have. And this is only a tad bit earlier than the time they'd agreed to meet, both agreeing it would be best to meet in the morning and hopefully get every thing out in the open before the others were up.

Bonnie's only hope is that she can escape the house unnoticed and flee into the woods to relax her beating heart and racing thoughts. She needs some time alone before Damon shows up, some time to relax her racing thought, because she honestly _**still**_ doesn't know if she's going to break his heart or declare her undying love for him! She supposes she'll have to play things by ear when the time comes because she'd been thinking about this _**all night long **_and she's not going to suddenly get an epiphany this _**morning!**_

She only hopes she can leave the cabin, unnoticed by Damon, as she tiptoes through the house to make her swift escape into the forest, making sure she's quiet enough as not to wake him.

But who is she kidding? The vampire could sense her a mile away, not to mention he knew her scent like he knew his own body!

This realization and plain out mental slap in the face is what has Bonnie pausing mid-way through the living room and sighing to herself, before chewing on her bottom lip in thought.

"Give me about 10 minutes to myself, please...then I'll be ready to talk." she speaks quietly, blindly out into the increasingly brightening room, eyes trained on the slow sunrise outside of the window next to the front door in the living room, her exit.

"Okay" she hears Damon answer back, and she eyes his sprawled out form on the couch before moving to the front door and slipping out of it.

Bonnie makes her way through the woods, white Vans on her feet, black sweat pants hugging her hips, and red and white stripped, form-fitting tank on her upper-body. She's comfortable, prepared for a long and brutal talk/argument, but for now she is going to relax. This is like the calm before the storm. She would relax before every thing went to Hades, before her life whirl-winded out of control. Lord knew she needed to after the stressful night of pointless thinking she'd had!

After a few minutes of walking, she finds a clearing in the forest where there is nothing but clear clean forest ground, with the exception of one long and large boulder and a semi-smaller one next to it. It's perfect, almost seems as if it were laid out by God himself as the setting for her and Damon's talk, for this very purpose alone.

Bonnie strategically sits on the smaller boulder, not wanting to give Damon the option to arrive and invade her personal space and boundaries by sharing the larger boulder with her. No, she was not going to give him that option.

She sighs, relaxing into the boulder and retrieving her lime green ipod from the confines of her pocket. She immediately shuffles through the music until she finds Owl City's "Fireflies." The new song had quickly become one of her favorites and it just made her feel good inside, something she desperately needed to feel at the moment.

Bonnie closes her eyes as she listens to the velvety smooth vocals of Owl City, the simple, happy-go-lucky lyrics, and takes in the relaxing background music.

She moves her head side to side, a small smile on her face.

_'Cause I'd get a thousand hugs_

_From ten thousand lightning bugs_

_As they tried to teach me how to dance_

_A fox trot above my head_

_A sock hop beneath my bed_

_A disco ball is just hanging by a thread_

This song just makes her happy. It makes her forget about the intensity of the past week, the past couple of days. It makes her forget for a moment that a very evil and powerful Sorcerer is after her son, makes her forget that Damon, her old flame, the previous love of her life, is _**back**_ in her life, makes her forget that she and Damon had _**kissed**_ a couple of nights ago; it even for a second makes her forget that she's falling back in love with him.

As the song ends though, she opts for another good-feeling song, "I've got a feeling" by the Black-Eyed-Peas.

Bonnie listens to this song, and it is literally _**painful**_ to keep from dancing. The song is just such a partying song! The music is great; the lyrics are great, the rapping and singing is _**amazing.**_ It just made you want to move: move, grin, throw your hands into the air and lose control. But for now, Bonnie just listens, body swaying to the beat, grin on her face as she loses herself to the pulsating beat of the song.

_Tonight's the night_  
_Let's live it up_  
_I got my money_  
_Let's spend it up_

_Go out and smash it_  
_Like Oh My God_  
_Jump off that sofa_  
_Let's get get OFF_

_Fill up my cup_  
_Mazel tov_  
_Look at her dancin_  
_Just take it OFF_

_Let's paint the town_  
_We'll shut it down_  
_Let's burn the roof_  
_And then we'll do it again_

When this ends, she listens to the pop rocking sensation, Demi Lovato's "La La Land." It's not exactly a new song anymore and admittedly one she originally put on her ipod for Gabriel, but she loves it. Demi Lovato was a Disney star who could sang, and Bonnie liked her music, (had actually been slightly disappointed when Elena had opted to sing her parts in "One in the same") and "La La Land" just made her want to move sing and rock out.

But she doesn't. She stays calm, simply allowing the music to wash over her and brighten her mood, make the wait for her impending conversation less dreading and foreboding.

It's working too.

_ Some may say I need to be afraid_

_ Of losing every thing, because of where I_

_ Had my start and where I made my name_

_ Well, every thing's the same in the La La Land machine_

Bonnie feels good, happy. Music always seemed to get her happy...or teary, whatever the song feel was; but it always made her feel _**something.**_ She loved it. It calms her, relaxes her, makes her happy to the point where she's almost _**ready**_ for the conversation, ready to get it over with because perhaps it won't go as badly as she'd anticipated. Perhaps they'd come to an understanding...

With this thought and new-found confidence, Bonnie opts to listen to one of her favorite Britney hits from her new comeback CD.

The sounds of Britney Spear's "Circus" feels her ears and Bonnie _**does**_ bob her head along this time, she has to do _**some**_ type of moving on this song. She's a lot happier and very much more relaxed than she'd been a couple of songs ago, and the music is just_** too**_ infectious and the lyrics absolutely fierce and liberating. When it gets to the chorus, Bonnie starts to move more, moving her shoulders, her head, and snapping her fingers to the consuming beat.

_All eyes on me, in the center of the ring, just like a circus_

_When I crack that whip, everybody gon' trip, just like a circus_

_Don't stand there watching me, follow me, show me what you can do_

_Everybody let go, we can make a dance floor, just like a circus_

She's losing herself all too well in the music when someone joins her.

Bonnie looks up swiftly, jumping slightly at the swift and sudden arrival of Damon Salvatore before staring at him with wide open eyes of embarrassment and swiftly shutting her ipod off, inwardly fuming at the ever-present smirk on her ex's face.

_I guess the moment of truth is here..._the green-eyed woman thinks, willing herself to think positive on the conversation before wracking her brain for proper starting words. But Damon beats her to the punch!

"Britney Spears?" the vampire questions, taking a seat on the long boulder beside Bonnie's, an eyebrow quirked as he eyes the witch amusedly, having easily heard her booming ipod moments before even entering the clearing. "You still into her? Even after she had that major break down and nearly killed herself and stuff?" he questions, eyes teasing and taunting.

Bonnie is immediately caught off guard by Damon's casual and carefree demeanor. He's talking about...her choice in _**music? **_She thought if _**anyone**_ would desire to get _**straight to business **_and get their feelings out on the table, it'd be him. But he's looking at her with twinkling eyes full of mischief, and he honestly wants to hear about her musical choices.

Bonnie sputters incoherently for a couple of seconds, quickly recovering from her moment of stupor and rolling her eyes, in pure Bonnie fashion, at Damon.

"First of all, exaggeration." she informs, fixing the vampire with a wary gaze. "She shaved her head, that's anywhere near **_killing herself._" **she rolls her eyes again, though she can't help but smile somewhat, amused by Damon's previous words and his immediate vehement head nod in argument of her statement. "And second of all, her songs will **always** be hits, old and new." the petite witch tells her ex matter-of-factly, _**c****ompletely**_ and _**very**_ pleasantly surprised and quite shocked by their odd conversation. It's _**not awkward,**_ it's not brutal; they're just talking...about _**music!**_ And it's nice. It's weird and somewhat out of character, but it's nice, and Bonnie doesn't question it, she merely goes along with it.

She'd forgotten how easy it was to talk to Damon, about _**simple**_ things that is; it was the arguing and disagreeing that was a real bitch. But otherwise they were natural. She and Damon were _**so**_ natural... natural and _**unnatural** _at the same time, different as night and day, but somehow they worked. She'd missed talking to him. If only they could stay on the subject of music forever and forget the discussion of the serious topics...

"If by hits you mean songs that make you wanna knock yourself out..." Damon rattles off in reply to Bonnie's previous words. "You've gotta have something better than that chick on here. Let's see what you're working with." Damon tells her before scooting closer to her, now at the edge of his long boulder, and swiftly swiping the ipod out of her grasp, a look of concentration on his face as he searches through her music.

"Really?" Bonnie can't help but question as she looks down at her empty palms and Damon's now occupied ones in disbelief. "So you're just gonna sit down and take over my ipod?" the beautiful woman questions incredulously.

"Basically" Damon concurs, briefly looking up from the ipod in his hands, face faux pensive as he nods to himself. "But you forgot: _**get comfortable**_; I'm also going to get comfortable." he tells her before dramatically sighing and wiggling his butt on the boulder, until he finds a "comfortable" position, as to which he smiles over at Bonnie and winks at the witch, satisfied with his new and more comfortable position as he refocuses on her ipod.

"Pussycat Dolls? Pfft, you're such a girl." he comments, briefly looking up and rolling his eyes dramatically at Bonnie.

"You used to watch their videos with me!" Bonnie immediately objects, incredulously, feeling herself increasingly at ease with the man.

"Watch _**them**_, Bonnie. I watched _**them**_ move and dance; I didn't listen to their pop songs." the vampire immediately corrects.

"Pig" Bonnie spits out in annoyance and disgust.

"Oink" Damon smiles playfully at her and her heart suddenly and oddly warms at his behavior because it's so familiar, him arguing with her over something pointless, but still fighting passionately, and quite childishly, to get his opinion across. That was her Damon! _**This**_ is _**her**_ Damon: brutally honest, stupid, rude, and annoying; and although she _**loves**_ sappy, "pour your heart out" Damon, she's missed just regular old "infuriating" Damon.

"Kelly Clarkson...yeah, **_no_.**" the vampire gives Bonnie a reprimanding look with hints of incredulity.

"You have no taste in music." Bonnie informs, thinking of all the incredible songs Kelley Clarkson has come out with, each one of them instant hits.

"Honey this isn't music. The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Nat King Cole, Billie Holiday, that's music." Damon corrects, frowning slightly to himself at the realization that he sounds like Stefan, maybe he should've thrown in a couple of good rock groups for good measure...

"All you did was remind me of how old you are." Bonnie deadpans, and Damon scoffs amusedly at the reply before continuing through the ipod.

"Okay I'll admit, Rhianna's cool. Sexy as hell too." he says and Bonnie rolls her eyes once more, which only causes him to smile as he continues to move around her music library.

_'Jealous?_ 'He questions her mentally, only to recieve an incredulous smile and eyeroll.

_'Shut up.'_ She sends back, a look of disgust on her face and Damon can only chuckle to himself thinking she _**really**_ knew how to break down a guy's ego. Too bad he knew she _**loved**_ him! At least he hoped...

"Pink's hardcore. I like her. Voice is amazing too, raspy...I like it." Damon announces his approval. "Have you heard her song "I don't believe you?" he questions before moving on to the next Artist.

"It's one of my favorite songs right now!" Bonnie smiles at the sight of Damon's growing grin.

"Mine too." he informs, "the emotion in it is just...wow." he says and Bonnie can't help but laugh at the sound of Damon's odd and foreign sounding poetic appreciation for Pink's recent song.

"What?" the vampire questions incredulously, though he's grinning nonetheless at the sight of Bonnie's beautiful smile.

"Nothing" she giggles and he rolls his eyes at her, smile still in place as he stares at her for a lingering moment before refocusing on her ipod.

Damon can't believe things are working out so well for him. He can't believe Bonnie's talking to him, speaking **_freely_**, and smiling. He's missed this more than she'll ever know. He's missed her smile, missed _**causing**_ her smile. It's such a beautiful sight. And he's missed talking to her, just**_ talking _**to her, holding a conversation or carrying on playful banter; he's missed it a lot. Things have been so tense between them, their conversations tense, their entire atmosphere _**intense.**_ It's incredibly nice to just talk to her like this.

"Paramore!" Damon smiles, nodding his approval. "Okay you're starting to get back in my good graces." he informs. "Hayley Williams, Pink, and Rhianna are like the only female artists I like to listen to and you've got all three of them. Good job." he announces.

"Well I'm glad I have you're approval." she smiles, voice laced with sarcasm, and Damon directs a sarcastic smile at her before frowning down at her ipod.

"Ew I spoke too soon." he tells her, nose wrinkled up in dramtic disgust. "Backstreet boys? It's official, you've gone **_back down _**the music totem pole to the peg of "musically challenged."" the vampire informs with a look of disgust and..._**concern**_ on his face that nearly causes Bonnie to burst into laughter.

"You're just mad because all the girls _**love**_ them." the beautiful woman challenges, eyes sparkling as she smirks knowingly at Damon, blown away by how comfortable she feels with him, how good it feels talking to him.

"Well _**you** _love _**me**_ more, and that's all that matters." the blue eyed vampire throws back, demeanor flirtatious and eyes twinkling as he stares daringly at the little witch.

And Bonnie freezes, his words effectively erasing the carefree atmosphere as the witch frowns slightly, disliking the forwardness and painful truth behind Damon's statement. She did _**love**_ him; she didn't want to, but she _**did...**_

Bonnie just stares at Damon and he stares back for a couple of painfully silent seconds that feel like hours. He takes in her appearance, **_really_** takes her in for the first time that day, and can't help but admire her natural beauty for the umpteenth time. It really is **_mesmerizing_** how beautiful Bonnie is. She's so beautiful.

Damon eyes her casual yet appealing outfit, stares at the simple diamond studs in her ears. She has no make-up on, but she still looks absolutely breathtaking. Her natural beauty is nearly overwhelming. Her hair is piled into a messy bun on top of her head, and Damon swears she's the tantilating thing he's ever seen, baggy sweat pants and all. She's absolutely gorgeous. The two supernaturals continue to stare at the other until finally Bonnie bites her bottom lip nervously and averts her gaze from Damon. He, however, continues to stare at her, mentally berating himself for ruining their carefree conversation.

"Bottom line is they suck." he speaks out into the silence, attempting to resume their conversation and get rid of some of the tension he's created. "...Bet even **_Jackson_** would agree with that...Gabriel too." he attempts, but this only causes Bonnie to freeze up even more.

She freezes, clams up, tenses, but it's different this time, Damon can instantly tell. He can feel it. She seems deep in thought, her face is troublesome, full of trouble that he can literally _**feel.**_ Something is bothering her, something deeper than his blunt words of her love for him.

"Bon, what's wrong?" Damon questions softly, voice soothing and concerned.

Bonnie looks up, coming out of her thoughts, looking up at Damon as if she'd forgotten he was there.

"Nothing" she softly assures, shaking her head, a reassuring smile on her face that doesn't quiet reach her eyes.

"Bonnie, you can't lie to me." Damon reminds her, moving closer towards her and bending slightly as he stares at her bowed head, willing her avoiding eyes to meet his. "I know when you're lying. Just tell me what's wrong." he attempts.

The witch is silent for a few more seconds before she finally looks up and is met with Damon's intense and determined gaze.

"Tell me." he orders softly and Bonnie finally breaks, sighing softly in defeat.

"I've just been...having these nightmares the past couple of nights...about Gabe." she finally confides quietly. "I've been having these horrible dreams where the Sorcerer takes him! Every dream's the same, Gabe get's taken, and I try to convince myself their just _**dreams**_, but I honestly don't know what I'd _**do**_ if it ever happened for real." Bonnie tells Damon, eyes shimmering with unshed tears at the mere thought of any harm coming to her son.

Damon takes in her words, silently praying that the dreams are not prophetical. They have got to take this guy out soon! If any thing were to happen to their son..._**no.**_ He can't even think about it. He'd go crazy, he knows it. Probably destroy the _**world**_ or some crazy shit like that. He really can't think about it so he stares at her instead. Bonnie looks so afraid, **terrified** even, so fragile, so small.

"Come here" Damon quietly tells her, scooting all the down to the opposite end of his boulder and making room for Bonnie, who in turn stares at him with eyes of uncertainty.

"Just let me hold you for a little while, please?" Damon pleads, moving on the boulder so that he's now facing her, one leg on either side of the rock as he stares at her with determined eyes. He needs to hold her, to feel her in his arms, to let her know that he's there...to know she's there.

Bonnie chews on her lips in contemplation, watching Damon with skeptical eyes.

"I'll be a perfect gentleman, I promise." Damon tries one last attempt, and finally Bonnie relents.

"Okay" she says softly before making her way over to him because secretly she knew. She knew she needed this; she needed the comfort that only Damon could offer as the father of her child. She needed it, needed **_him._**

Damon pats the area in front of him on the boulder, in between his legs and Bonnie sits there, legs stretched out on the rock, and back resting against Damon's rock-hard chest.

The vampire in question immediately brings his arms strongly and firmly around her body and holds her to him, bringing his head over her right shoulder and resting it there, closing his eyes contently and immediately sighing at the overwhelming sensations and peace that come along with having Bonnie in his arms, back in his arms where she belongs.

Bonnie can't help but sigh contently, as well, at the tingling sensations she gets from Damon's touch, and the exhilarating feelings of protection and safety she automatically feels being in his arms, being held by him like this. She nestles her cheek against his cheek, her skin blissfully caressing his, and he kisses her temple, causing her heart to flutter.

"When I had that vision at the Manor," Bonnie starts again, confiding in Damon, telling him of all the things, all the fears she's been painfully keeping to herself. "you don't know how terrified I was, **absolutely horrified." **she informs, thankful when he grabs both her hands and intertwines their fingers in a comforting manner before bringing their hands to rest on her stomach as he holds her close.

"It all seemed so real." she tells Damon softly, taking comfort in his steady heartbeat against her back, his presence all around her. "If any thing ever happened to him, I don't -

"Sssh" Damon silences her, taking note of the sound of the tears in her voice. He doesn't want her to cry. He can't stand it when she cries. "Don't worry about it, Bon." he coos his thumbs rubbing comforting circles into the palms of Bonnie's hands before he suddenly lets go of them and sighs heavily. "Look at me, Bonnie." he tells her, voice quiet and serious.

There's something that feels so wrong to Bonnie about this. It's wrong to be like this with Damon right now, because of her relationship with Jackson. It's wrong of her to allow him to hold her like this, touch her like this, to be with her so _**intimately**_ despite the fact that she's engaged and very much taken by her fiance. This is wrong, so very wrong, and it feels that way, but it also feels _**right**_, so very overwhelmingly right to be in Damon's strong arms. It feels right; it feels **_good._**

Bonnie slowly turns around, obeying Damon's words. She faces him completely, moving her legs so that she's now sitting Indian-style on the boulder and facing Damon head on.

"I would _**never**_ allow any thing to happen to you or Gabe." the vampire tells her, voice firm and blue eyes intent, intense, as his jaw clenches and he wills Bonnie to believe him, know he's sincere, and take comfort in his promise. "You have to know I'd rip the entire _**world**_ apart if anything ever did." he tells her, shaking his head vehemently at the mere thought of what he'd do if any thing bad ever happened to his family. He didn't want to think about it, but he'd do _**any thing **_to bring comfort to his witch. "I will viciously _**murder**_ anyone who even _**thinks** _to lay a harmful finger on you two." Damon assures, eyes shining passionately as he tells her this. "You have to know I would never let anyone hurt you." he finishes, right hand reaching out to grab her left.

"I know" Bonnie says softly, staring down at their joined hands, lightly squeezing his in an assuring manner.

"Damn, if anything ever _**happened**_ to either of you..." Damon breaks off, growing angry at the thought, not knowing what he'd really do if they were ever harmed, what he's truly capable of.

"Sssh" Bonnie softly quiets him. "Damon, don't think about it. Focus on the positive." she coos, moving her free hand into Damon's hair and raking it comfortingly through his brown locks.

Damon closes his eyes, mood visibly calming as he bites down on the inside of his cheek before opening his eyes and staring down at the ground, already missing her touch as she moves her hand back into her lap.

"Let's just say it would definitely be in every villian's best interest not to even _**think**_ about you two." he finishes his previous statement before finally looking up at Bonnie.

The witch is chewing on her bottom lip. Her eyebrows are creased and there's a small frown on her face. She seems deep in thought. She looks up at him before swiftly looking back down at the ground. She was going to tell him something for sure, he knows this. He's witnessed this behavior from Bonnie plenty of times and knows it well. She wants to say something but she _**doesn't**_ at the same time. Either she doesn't know how to say it, or she just doesn't _**want**_ to say it.

"Bonnie..." Damon says quietly, moving his hand from hers and lightly caressing her cheek in a concerned and coaxing manner.

She finally looks up at him, staring into his eyes with her beautiful jade orbs, and Damon's breath leaves him for a moment. He removes his hand and stares at her expectantly, nervously biting down on the inside of his cheek.

"That kiss a couple of nights ago..." she starts, and Damon lets out the he'd been holding before his eyes brighten as he watches her with anticipation. Hopeful that Bonnie might finish her statement this time.

The vampire watches helplessly as the petite woman emerges from the boulder, pacing somewhat in front of him before she finally comes to a complete stop and stares at him, running a hand over her face, an overwhelmed look on her features.

"It was...**_amazing_** – the best..." Bonnie sputters before veering off, eyes staring into space in thought of the mind-blowing kiss, an elated smile on her face that Damon can't help but grin widely at the sight of. "It was amazing." she finishes softly, a small smile on her face as she finally meets his probing eyes.

"I thought so too." he informs, looking up at her from his spot on the boulder, overwhelmingly happy at the realization that she'd thought so highly of their kiss, just as he had. "But it sure seemed as if it didn't mean a thing to you when you ignored me the next day and threw yourself into Jackson's arms." he tells her, instantly remembering the cause for his pain and confusion the previous day, and becoming angry and annoyed at the mere thought of Bonnie's aforementioned actions, as happy as he is that she had liked the kiss.

Bonnie can see the frustration, anger, and hurt on Damon's face and immediately feels horrible for making him feel bad, running away and avoiding him, and using Jackson as a keep-away weapon.

"I'm sorry." she quietly tells him, bending slightly so that she's at his eye level, and staring into his mesmerizing eyes. "I was scared, Damon." she softly tells him. "I still_** am**_ scared...scared of the way you make me feel..."

"Which is?" Damon can't help but question because he honestly doesn't know. One second they're kissing blissfully and the next she's avoiding him like the plague. And in the next instant he's holding her in his arms, holding her hand, and she's holding his, running her hand through his hair, and looking at him like she loves him, but what of tomorrow? Will she _**completely**_ write him off, tell him she hates him and never speak to him again? What's she thinking; what's she _**feeling?**_

"On fire?" she supplies, standing up straight and resuming her nervous pacing in front of Damon, not really knowing how to describe the way the older Salvatore makes her feel, but wanting him to know so he knows how utterly _**terrified**_ he makes her. "Like my insides are burning...but I don't want it to stop because it feels so _**good.**" _she tells him, pausing to look at him, eyes darting around his face wildly, as she struggles to find the words to tell him how he **truly** makes her feel, how she feels when she's with him. "I feel so happy, feverish, _**cherished**_, wanted, **_loved_...**"

"Good. Cause I **do** love you." Damon tells her, as he looks intently into her eyes, overwhelmed by the fact that he makes her feel all of _**that!**_ If only she'd _**love him **_again... "I just wish you'd...love...feel **something** for me again." he tells her, sputtering agitatedly, eyes sad, begging and pleading.

Bonnie immediately sits back onto the boulder at Damon's words. Legs crossing back into Indian-style as she stares at her vampire. She takes him in, feeling an overwhelming wave of compassion overtake her at his defeated, downcast eyes. Doesn't he know how she feels about him? He jokes about it, doesn't he believe it!

The backs of the fingers of Bonnie's right hand ghost down Damon's cheek softly and he avoids her gaze until her hand flexes out and gently caresses before grabbing hold of his cheek.

"I care about you, Damon, you know that." she says softly before dropping her hand. "Probably always will."

"Then why are we torturing ourselves by being apart?" he suddenly demands, fed up with their entire situation, fed up with the distance between them, fed up with watching her with another man. "I can _**feel**_ how badly you want to kiss me right now. Well **_why not?" _**he asks, wildly flailing his arms about.

_"**Because things are different than what they were five years ago!**" _Bonnie finally cracks, yelling at Damon, the intensity of the conversation getting to her as her eyes glimmer passionately with unshed tears that she will **not** allow to fall. "You left...and things changed." she finishes softly.

"If only you knew why I **_really_** left...I mean, it isn't the best reason but I think you'd _**understand**_..." Damon attempts quietly, a pained look on his face as he reaches out to touch Bonnie but she moves away from his touch.

"I don't want to talk about it, Damon." she says firmly, her voice and entire demeanor suddenly turning cold.

"Well when are we _**ever**_ going to talk about it then?" Damon exclaims, temper flaring as he now emerges from the boulder, putting a couple feet of distance between himself and Bonnie as he glares at her, frustration levels at an all new high.

_"**Not now!**" _Bonnie yells back even louder, and the two supernaturals immediately silent, chests heaving, eyes dangerous as they furiously glare the other down.

"Sorry, but I'm not ready to hear that part yet!" Bonnie bites out sarcastically, staring up at Damon from her seat on the boulder. "I'm not ready to hear your "**_justified explanation_!**" Forgive me, but I was _**alone**_ and _**heartbroken**_ while you were, what? Vacationing in the Bahamas?" the witch questions venomously, eyes narrowed, accusing, and hurt.

"It was hardly a _**vacation**_." Damon grumbles in reply.

"_**Where did you go, Damon?**_ All those years? I want to know **every** place! **_Where did you go_**?" the little witch demands, not knowing why, but all the same **needing** to know where Damon had spent the past half decade away from her because she'd spent hers heartbroken in Mystic Falls; and _**any where** _the nomadic Damon Salvatore could've gone was better than that! _**Any where **_was better than the place that was plagued with memories of them together that were summoned basically _**every place **_she went! What exotic places did her vampire ex venture off to while she suffered? What did he do?

Damon sighs in defeat, not seeing the point of the path their conversation was entering, (it was like she was _**trying**_ to come up with reasons to stay pissed at him!) but knowing full well when Bonnie was in one of her stubborn, determined moods. _**Now.**_ And it was best just to give her what she wanted.

"I spent the first half year in Thailand." the blue-eyed vampire sighs/mutters.

"_**Thailand**_! Bet you couldn't get enough of the women there!"

"I had another woman on my mind!" Damon tosses back at the feisty witch, an irritated look on his face at her interruption of their already _**aggravating**_ conversation. "Second half of that year I spent in Tokyo."

"Great technology! Could've at least got me something while you were there!" Bonnie inputs sarcastically and Damon can't help but roll his eyes. Is she seriously going to put in her two cents about every place he mentions?

"I spent the entire next year in Tahiti." the handsome vampire continues at Bonnie's non-verbal prompts, ready to just get this out and over with.

"Won a vacation there a couple of years back, couldn't find the jacket the winning ticket was in, so I couldn't claim my prize."

Yup. That was _**exactly**_ what his infuriating witch was going to do, comment on_** every single** _place he'd lived! Great!

"Bummer" Damon bites out in reply to Bonnie's previous, and somewhat random sounding statement, a tight smile on his face as he tries to figure out how to inadvertantly change the conversation topic without Bonnie knowing. There's far more important things to talk about than this!

But Bonnie clears her throat impatiently and Damon has no choice _**but**_ to continue with their _**enthralling**_ exchange.

"I spent the third year in London, where I met JP."

"Aw. You met JP in London." Bonnie coos, but Damon is not fooled by her faux happy persona. She's irritated, even more so at his mentino of London and he just doesn't know why, but she is. "You've neglected to mention where you met up with **_Katherine_.** You know, I don't even want to know. Let's just continue on with the places you've vacated to – I mean _**lived**_ at." Bonnie rambles, clearly angry. And now, he knows what had his witch so irritated! The mere_** mention**_ of the female vampire's name seems to do that to the petite woman.

Damon can't help but briefly wonder if the **_entire_** purpose for this conversation is to find out how long he'd been in _**Katherine's company. **_That would make sense. Perhaps Bonnie wanted to feel him out, see where he'd been staying all this time, **all **in the hope she'd figure out more info on his and Katherine's "relationship." Didn't she know by now that their _**relationship**_ was non-existent?

Damon has no time to contemplate these thoughts as Bonnie impatiently clears her throat and orders him to go on.

"Fourth year I spent the first two months in Paris."

"How romantic."

"Couldn't take it living there; kept thinking about you." Damon echoes, momentarily silencing the witch as he stares down, intensely into her brown-green orbs and she stares into his blue caught off guard by his words.

"Oh" she says softly, not really knowing what more to say.

"Spent the rest of that year in Scotland."

"Cool. Bagpipes." Bonnie comments, rough edge slightly diminishing out of her voice.

"Actually learned how to play them this time." Damon informs, chuckling slightly, not sure if he's allowed to relax into their conversation or keep things tense. He's walking on eggshells with Bonnie right now..."Last time I was there in 1978 I had more..."

"_**Graphic**_ things to do?" Bonnie supplies, slightly disgusted look on her face.

"Well I was bad, bitter, and _**evil**_." Damon shrugs sheepishly. "But I'm a pro at the Bagpipes now, Bon; I'm like a legend; you've gotta see me play!." he jokes slightly, thanking the heavens for the pleasant turn their conversation is slowly, but surely suddenly taking. Hopefully...

"Wait til I tell Stefan! He'll have to see it to believe it!" Bonnie smiles slightly, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, and the Hallelujah Chorus is going off in Damon's head because thank _**God**_ Bonnie doesn't seem to be angry with him anymore!

"If Stefan wants to hear me play, he has to show some bills! This stays between you and me, woman!" Damon orders playfully, eyes faux dangerous as he re-claims his seat on the boulder in front of Bonnie, finally deeming it as safe territory once more.

"For now." Bonnie smiles mischievously. "Collateral, should I ever need you to do something you don't want to." she smirks wiggling her eyebrows suggestively, and Damon knows this girl is _**definitely**_ his soul mate. He can't help but look up and thank the heavens once more because things had been going down the **_wrong_** road a few seconds ago, such a _**rough**_ road, but now they were back on the _**smooth sailing **_highway. Flirting even!

"Make it, do something _**to**_ you, and we've got a deal." Damon smirks back at Bonnie, who in turn rolls her eyes at him in that way that is solely reserved for him and him alone, which is why he can't help but love it.

"Fifth year?" she prompts, annoyed look on her face but smile still in place nonetheless.

"Fifth and final year, I was living in Bolivia, until this whole Gin Sorcerer thing came up...Now I'm living with you, in Italy, Mystic Falls, wherever you want to go..." he answers, veering off as his voice quiets and he watches Bonnie expectantly.

"What if I want to go there with someone else?" Bonnie asks quietly, calculatingly, and Damon wills himself to stay calm and not become aggravated, envious, or angered by Bonnie's contemplation of him and Jackson.

"Please? You can't _**honestly **_want to be with that big Ape? _**Look at me I'm strong, and I like to wear little boy's shirts!**" _Damon mocks, finding that trashing his competition is oddly enough appeasing to his anger and jealousy. And when Bonnie suddenly covers her mouth to muffle the giggle that escapes at his blunt and funny words, the anger _**completely**_ disappears.

"Your shirts are tight too, Damon." Bonnie defends, trying her best, and _**failing**_ not to laugh at Damon's comment about her fiance.

"Yeah, but your boyfriend has _**me** _in that category! It's ridiculous! I swear the fabric is going to burst open at any moment!" Damon exclaims animatedly. "I'm just watching closely, trying to make sure you don't get whipped in the face!" he finishes and Bonnie explodes into laughter.

"Stop it! Okay?" she manages to get out, between her laughter, hitting Damon on the chest before she stops laughing completely, a serious and reprimanding look on her face. "Stop talking about him, okay?" she sternly orders.

"But it's so fun." Damon whines.

"I don't allow him to talk about you, so don't you talk about him." Bonnie firmly throws back, unamused and angry with herself for laughing at Damon's words.

"Geez. Then just _**be**_ with **_me_." **the vampire tells her, rolling his eyes at her previous statement. "Break up with **_him_** and be with me, then I won't talk about him...**_at all_!** In fact I'll forget he ever existed!" Damon exclaims dramatically, as if this is the obvious solution to all of Bonnie's problems.

"Damon, I need time!" Bonnie exclaims, running a frustrated hand over her face, suddenly feeling crowded by her and Damon's close vicinity but not wanting to move away at the same time.

"Time for **_what?_** You _**care**_ about me. Let's be together." Damon argues.

"Maybe that's not enough this time, Damon." Bonnie says softly.

"It's enough!" Damon objects wholeheartedly. "It's enough to make us work again, I'm sure of it!" he tells her, eyes full of determination.

"But it's not just about _**us**_, this time!" Bonnie finally exclaims, needing Damon to stop his tirade and _**listen**_ to her. "Gosh, stop this Damon! I need _**time**_, okay? I need time to think this through. You've _**got**_ to let me think this through." she explodes, looking at Damon with pained and pleading eyes. "We've got a beautiful son named Gabriel, and whatever decision I make affects him too." she finishes softly.

Damon is quiet after this. He silently takes in Bonnie's words, thinking about their miracle hybrid.

She's right. They have an amazing son together and her decision will most _**definitely**_ affect him greatly.

"The first time he called me **_dad_**...man I...would I sound like a complete pussy if I said it warmed my heart?" Damon questions, suddenly overwhelmed with thoughts of his little boy.

"No" Bonnie smiles softly, surprised by his oddly sweet words, placing her right hand over his resting on the boulder between the two of them, the need to touch him suddenly overwhelming her.

Damon smiles at her, thankful for her simple, yet comforting touch. He places his other hand on top of hers and looks down at their hands thoughtfully before lazily drawing zigzags on the top of her hand with his pointer finger.

"I just couldn't believe he could so easily call me that, after I've been gone all this time." he tells her, looking up into her soft green eyes, a solemn look on his face. "It shocked the hell out of me...also surprised me by how happy it made me to hear him call me it, to know he wasn't mad at me." he informs.

"That's the beautiful innocence of a child." Bonnie smiles slowly pulling back her outstretched hand and resting it in her lap. "They forgive easily. Plus, Gabe just wanted a dad...his real dad." she says, her smile turning more serious, thoughtful, sad.

"And I want him too, Bonnie. I want you to know that!" Damon tells her, face and voice determined and sincere as he looks at her intensely. "Things come so easily with him...It's just...**right.**" the vampire shrugs, not sure of the words to use to describe his relationship with their son. "We gel. We get along; he's my son!...He needs me...I need him." Damon informs, eyes shining passionately as he's suddenly overwhelmed with the realization that he could lose it all. If Bonnie doesn't chose him, not only will he lose her, the love of his life, and his soul mate! He'll lose his son as well, the miracle child they'd created together. He'll lose **every thing** that matters to him!

"He's so much like you, it's mind boggling." Bonnie's soft voice penetrates and soothes Damon's panicked thoughts. "He's brave, sometimes **arrogant**, witty, sometimes mischievous...He's like you a lot." she informs, smiling thoughtfully before the happy gesture diminishes into a sad one at the thought of possibly ripping Father away from son, son away from Father. She isn't sure if she can do it, but ultimately, if she chooses Jackson, that's exactly what she'll be doing.

She fixes her eyes back onto Damon's beautiful azure ones and smiles sadly, thoughtfully. 'Same blue eyes...' she thinks to herself, but Damon hears as well and smiles to himself at her words and the realization that she isn't shielding her thoughts from him as well as she had been before. Perhaps she isn't trying...He hopes she isn't trying.

"He's a perfect, gentle blend of us **both.**" the vampire corrects, staring intently at Bonnie. "Because he also has **your** smile, your nose, your kindness, your **compassion**...and the witty part I think he gets from us both." Damon informs matter-of-factly, smiling thoughtfully at his witch.

"Yeah, well, kissing up to the mom is not going to get you any brownie points!"

'How bout I just kiss you then.'

Bonnie blushes slightly at Damon's unsheathed thought, but he doesn't seem to notice his slip as he sighs heavily before continuing to talk.

"I love him, Bon." he tells her, demeanor now serious and sincere. "He's my son, **our** son. I've already missed so much of his life, so many important things." he tells her softly, voice full of regret and lost. "I don't want to miss anymore." he pleads silently with his eyes and Bonnie sighs, wondering how they'd gone from discussing the topic of music to such a **real**, serious topic.

"I don't think Gabriel would ever forgive me if I **forced** you to miss any..." she softly admits, staring Damon in the eye. "We'll have to figure something out." she quietly decides.

"I've got it!" Damon informs in accomplished realization. "How 'bout you just **leave** Jack-ass and be mine! You **are** mine, Bonnie; you've got to **know** that!" he passionately tells her. "You've **always** been mine, and I've always been yours."

"I told you, Damon, I need time." Bonnie sighs tiredly, running a hand over her face. "I have to sort my thoughts out, think on it." she reminds him, and Damon nods his head in understanding before sighing heavily, clearly frustrated with this answer.

"I have to think on it, Damon, and I need you to respect my decision...no matter what." Bonnie tells him, a knowing, reprimanding look on her face. "No matter what decision I make, I need you to respect it." Bonnie repeats, feeling the need to drill this into his head because if she chooses Jackson, Damon has to know that he **must** leave her **alone.** Allow her and Jackson to build a family of their own, **butt out.**

Damon is stubbornly silent after Bonnie's words and she can't say she honestly expected a straight away agreement, but he **will** have to agree.

Damon seems to know this as well for at the sound of the witch's throat clearing he finally answers.

"Fine. I will." he grunts out, and Bonnie can't help but smile, in slight adoration at his stubborn antics, before rolling her eyes at the infuriating man that owned, and probably would always own, a large piece of her heart.

"Good" she tells him before uncrossing her legs and standing from her makeshift seat. It's high time she spoke with Jackson, tell him what was going on. He'd be angry but she knew he'd forgive her because he loved her. (Much like she'd forgiven many of Damon's previous mishaps, before the WHOMPER he'd dropped by leaving her.) She had to talk to him, get every thing out in the open, and make a decision **soon.** Neither Damon or Jackson deserved to be kept in the dark for long. She had to decide who she loved **the most**, who was best for her and Gabriel.

Damon's hand shoots out and latches onto her arm, softly but firmly halting her escape.

"Where you going?" he questions, looking up into her jade orbs with his azure.

"To talk to Jackson." Bonnie sighs, and Damon rolls his eyes.

"To talk to Jackson." he mocks, a deep frown on his face.

"Don't do that." Bonnie orders softly, a matching, slightly painful frown on her face. "I've got to tell him what's going on. He deserves to know!" she defends.

"What's going on?" Damon repeats/questions incredulously. "So you're telling him about our kiss? **Every thing?**" the vampire questions in disbelief, ready for Bonnie to laugh in his face and tell him of course she's not going to tell him **every thing!** But the laugh never comes.

"Yes, Damon; he deserves to know." Bonnie sighs in confirmation and Damon can't help but feel as if he's playing a game of poker and all of his cards are about to be revealed to his opponent. No more secrets, no more advantages. But then again he gets to brag about the amazing hand his opponent wasn't aware he was holding...

"I'll spend some time with him, like I've spent with you, get every thing out on the table, talk. Then I'll think long and hard and make my decision. Hopefully by tomorrow." she informs decisively, and Damon frowns.

"Can't you just...talk to him on the **phone** or something." he grumbles, unable to fight off the possessive feelings of jealousy that bombard him at the mere **thought** of Bonnie spending time with the other man.

Bonnie rolls her eyes, smiling slightly at the sudden feeling of Damon's possessive emotions for her invading her mind and washing over her entire being.

"Now that wouldn't be fair now, would it Damon?" she questions sweetly, heart speeding as she literally **feels** Damon's anger flare largely.

He is pissed, and it is hot and slightly turning her - Okay! Time to go!

"We're only gonna talk for a couple of hours, okay? So chill." Bonnie tells Damon, wondering why she feels the need to sedate him. He shouldn't be so territorial with her in the first place! She wasn't an object to own! And at any rate, she belonged to **Jackson** now! But still, she'd calmed him...slightly, and that had been her intention.

"I'll see you at dinner."

She knows it's a question, though Damon so typically made it into a statement.

"Yes" she confirms before turning to leave.

"On time" Damon adds, hand haltingly around her wrist once more as he stops her, and Bonnie rolls her eyes. His jealousy was really overwhelming sometimes. He couldn't put a **time limit** on her time with Jackson, God only knew how long they'd need to talk!

"I'll try" Bonnie answers before moving out of his grasp. Only that proves to be impossible since he doesn't let her go, perhaps not satisfied with her vague answer...

"Damon" Bonnie says sternly, staring down at his hand on her wrist, a firm frown on her face, and Damon can tell she's not happy and not playing and things will surely escalate (in a less than pleasing way) should he continue to hold her captive. So Damon sighs heavily, still furious she's spending time with Jackson, and greatly dissatisfied by her unmotivated drive to keep her conversation with the Latino at an appropriate time length.

He grumbles incoherently before letting go of Bonnie's wrist, and the witch moves to walk away, seemingly unphased by his unhappy mood, before swiftly and suddenly turning back and crashing her lips into his.

Bonnie kisses Damon passionately bending slightly to get to his lips, immediately moving her tongue into his mouth and kissing him fiercely. Her right hand rakes into and moves through the hair at the nape of his neck, and her left wraps possessively around his neck, keeping him close to her. She controls the kiss for a few seconds before feeling the overwhelming sensations of Damon's lust and animalistic need to possess her overtake. He grips her butt and pushes down until she's straddling him, and she allows him to take over the kiss as he kisses her swollen lips, crashing hardly, passionately, almost furiously into them before wreaking utter havoc on her mouth as his tongue moves around expertly sucking and swirling, his teeth nipping a little less than gently, but not painfully at her lips and tongue. He's driving her crazy, as he always does. He always knew how to drive her crazy. Gosh it'd been so long.

Damon's hands move from holding Bonnie's upper and lower back tightly to him, to sliding underneath her tank top and moving over her stomach, caressing and feeling the hot skin beneath his fingertips, and Bonnie damn near loses it. His touch nearly causes her to lose it. It feels so amazing to feel him touching her, his palms, his fingertips against her skin, making it tingle, making it burn. It's when Damon's lips move down to Bonnie's neck, and his fingers on her stomach start to inch up and firmly grasp her breasts, that she finally comes to her senses and awakens from her lust induced euphoria, placing her hands over the fabric of her shirt, over his roaming hands.

"Stop" she tells him breathlessly, and can only manage to sigh heavily in relief when he removes his hands from underneath her shirt and breaks away from her neck to look up at her in slight confusion and concern.

This was so ridiculously close to spiraling out of hand, she can barely stand it. Damon was one step away from losing it, taking her right then and there on the forest floor and staking his claim to her, and Bonnie had been so close to letting him do just that, letting have his way with her. So close.

The beautiful witch struggles to calm her beating heart and get her panting to return to normal breathing as she hastily detaches herself from a very perky and prodding Damon Jr., and stands, panting, smoothing out her shirt, trying to regain her composure, and trying desperately to ignore Damon's intense gaze and hypnotizing hardness.

She suddenly leans in once more and kisses Damon firmly on the mouth, lips soft and swollen, left hand on his cheek, holding him close before she swiftly breaks away, not allowing the kiss to heat up and turn into more.

"Maybe" she breathes, before caressing his cheek and turning on her heel. "Maybe I'll be on time for dinner. I'll try." she tells him, before making a hasty exit out of the forest clearing.

Damon licks his lips distractedly and somewhat dazedly, eyes glued to the woods Bonnie's disappeared into as he savors the still lingering flavor of her soft, honey-flavored luscious lips, feels the tingles all over his skin where they'd touched, and thinks to himself that suddenly that vague answer of hers didn't sound so bad.

******DS******

Nearly four hours later, Damon emerges from the shower, furiously drying his hair and body and swiftly throwing on fresh clothes.

He can't explain it but the last past hour, he's been...well restless. It was the strangest thing, he'd been fine during the first two and a half hours of Bonnie's absence, but the last hour or so he's become extremely bothered, restless.

He's read some Jack London, he's brushed his teeth, he's fixed Damon a late lunch/dinner, he's **showered**, and now he's about to prepare a meal for the entire house.

He can't seem to busy himself with enough tasks.

He makes his way into the kitchen and throws it open, peering at the contents inside, only to be chastised by his worried sister-in-law.

"Damon, really?" the brunette scoffs incredulously. "You're cooking **again?** Not that I'm not hungry,

but **still**, you're making me nervous!"

"Yeah bro; you've been fidgety the past couple of hours. What gives?" Stefan echoes Elena, a concerned look on his handsome features. "What's got you so bothered and thinking so hard?"

At the sound of his brother's questions, Damon realizes that something was bothering him! When it'd started Damon had chucked it up to fear of Bonnie's conversation with Jackson, fear that she would pick that Latino over him, but at the sound of Stefan's words, Damon realizes there is a much deeper reason for the sick feeling he feels in the pit of his stomach.

"Something's wrong" the eldest Salvatore speaks, almost to himself as he looks wildly around the cabin, the impending feeling of doom growing larger in his gut, spreading over his entire being.

"What?" Stefan questions, staring at Damon, eyes quickly growing with panic at the wild look of worry in his brother's eyes.

"Something's wrong! It's Bonnie! I can't feel her!"

"Bonnie? What's wrong with Bonnie?"

Damon barely registers the hysteric scream of Elena as he fruitlessly tries to sense the witch, furiously searches for the low hum he always feels inside him when she's at least within a mile radius of him. But he feels nothing, and his strength is crumbling with every passing second he spends seeking her out.

Suddenly Jackson enters the cabin, seemingly simultaneously at the same time Katherine does, and the same time Gabriel appears from out of the living room, and Damon furiously grabs onto the Latino, eyes black and dangerous as he glares at Jackson, fear evident in his coal orbs.

"Bonnie! Is she with you?" the desperate vampire demands.

"Get the fuck off me!" Jackson spits, eyes full of hatred as he shoves Damon off of him, only to have the other vampire grab roughly into the collar of his shirt and yank him to his face, eyes **murderous.**

"Where's **Bonnie? **She's not here; is she with you!" Damon repeats, viciously snarling at a now slightly worried Jackson.

"No" the Latino answers, a terrified look on his face. And Damon lets him go, a broken look on his face as he stares unmoving, resolve completely shattering as water fills his lost, black eyes and he crumbles. "She headed back here about 45 minutes ago!" Damon distantly registers the Latino saying.

***BOOM!***

All five adults hastily exit the cabin at the sound of the earth-shattering crash, Stefan grabbing onto a sobbing Gabriel's hand as he does so. When they get outside, the smell of fire is ever-present in the air, and has the adults looking around confused, until Elena suddenly looks up at the sky and chokes on a sob before pointing up at it.

"Look at the sky guys!" she exclaims brokenly, as the other four adults look up and see a message written out in dark smoke.

**I have your witch, **

**and I will KILL her unless **

**you deliver to boy to me**

**at Grotta del Vento**

**before midnight.**

The supernatural's read, and Damon growls lowly, jaw clenched tightly as he shakes slightly with barely controlled fury and brokenness, looking up and addressing the group with shimmering eyes.

"They've got Bonnie."

**Author's note: Wow! This really just took ENTIRELY too long! You guys really have NO idea! I have been working on this Chapter FOREVER, NONSTOP the past couple of days in fact, and it has taken me FOREVER to complete! I am SOOO completely SORRY for the wait! I tried SO hard! I wanted SO badly to get this story out, WAY before the VD Season 2 premiere! Never would I have thought I'd be putting it out THE DAY OF! But at least it's up now! I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading this because I truly did work HARD on it! I'm looking SO forward to reading your reviews so PLEASE let me know what you thought about this! Should you have any problems reviewing for this, just do it anonymously! REALLY want to know what you guys think! Again, I'm SOOOO sorry for the delay! I will try my best not to take as long next time! Enjoy the Vampire Diaries season premiere! Gonna be a doozy! God bless! ;) (P.S. If you get a chance, youtube the James Ingram song and listen while you read the karaoke part! It truly is a beautiful song!)**

**WORDS OF WISDOM: ****Strive to be a better person! CONSTANTLY strive to grow and thrive as a human being! When we STOP growing, we start DIEING. So grow! Try to better your talents! God gave them to you for a reason! Use them! Use it or lose it! Better your talents, whatever they may be, and use the small gifts God has given you. The gift of honesty, the gift of encouragement, the gift of kindness, the gift of optimism! Whatever the gift God has given you, use it! Use it to better yourself and to better others, to SERVE others! Be the best person you can be! You're already WONDERFUL; time to be EXTRAORDINARY! God bless, and have a wonderful week! **


	11. Chapter 9 Part 1

**Author's Note:**** OMG this Chapter has taken WAY too long to write! Sorry again guys! You'll never know how hard it was to get it out! WAY harder than it should've been! I mean I split it up in two parts and it was STILL complicated to write! It's Not as NEARLY as lengthy as other Chapters and I'm SOOO very soory fo that, but I'm hoping you'll be able to forgive me, at least a little, because I worked EXTREMELY hard on the content of this! Hope that counts for something. Yes? But anyhow, YES! I finally did what I've been trying to do for ages! Gave you something to read on a Thursday, Vampire-free day. (It's just not RIGHT, CW!) I hope you enjoy it! But don't read it till AFTER you watch the re-run tonight, OR at least, turn on your TV so that VD gets your view! Let's support our show people, it rocks! This goes out to you ****_Tamia!_ Thanks for the PM; hope this doesn't disappoint! And also to the rest of you AMAZING readers and reviewers! You're comments make me HAPPIER than words can explain! They make me SOO very happy! I literally LIGHT UP whenever I get a review in my inbox! Thanks so much for that; and please keep em' coming! Enjoy this Chapter you wonderful readers! **

**Bamon: Chapter 9 Part 1**

_I have your witch, _

_and I will KILL her unless _

_you deliver to boy to me_

_at Grotta del Vento_

_before midnight._

_The supernatural's read, and Damon growls lowly, jaw clenched tightly as he shakes slightly with barely controlled fury and brokenness, looking up and addressing the group with shimmering eyes._

_"They've got Bonnie."_

The blue-eyed vampire stares into the shocked and shattered faces of Stefan and Elena, not aware that his own face is nearly a mirror image of his sister-in-law's, filled with absolute brokenness and a maddening sense of lost, as he stares, completely crushed, at his brother with near desperate eyes that beg the younger Salvatore for some semblance of guidance. But the awestruck expression Stefan is wearing does very little to calm the vampire's nerves, and he rips his eyes away from the man before cursing inwardly when they dart about and land on a completely _**terrified**_ looking Gabriel; and it takes Damon all of five seconds to completely lose it.

"_**Damn it!**_" the vampire swears loudly, abruptly ramming his right fist forcefully into a nearby tree, completely obliterating the vegetation and sending shards of wood flying everywhere as the top half of the tree completely free-falls backward and disappears into the forest.

The _**BOOMING**_ sound, of the strong blow, echoes loud as thunder throughout the wooded area, breaking into the nanosecond of eerie silence the night had taken on, and causing a ruckus of startled animal noises to sound off within the forest; but Damon doesn't react to it, barely even notices it. He merely glares at his handiwork, panting and huffing heavily, chest heaving as he struggles to control himself. He does this for a few moments, attempting to calm, but feeling increasingly panicked with every passing second he does so, before he suddenly turns away from the commotion he's created, eyes black and wild, with a heart-ripping look of lost and pain within their depths, as he stares at his companions.

He stares at the group for a couple of seconds, seemingly not knowing what to do with himself; and they're speaking all the while, some to the heavens, some to him, and some to one another. But he hears nothing. He's too far gone.

He tears away from their voices and proceeds to stalk back and forth before them, trampling around the grounds before him like a savage beast, nostrils flared as he huffs, and jaw clenched tightly, making him appear strong, in control, when really he's any thing but.

Damon is _**crumbling**_ inside. He's completely _**losing**_ it. His heart is sunk at the pit of his stomach making him feel nauseous, _**and, **_at the same time_**,**_ it's pounding violently in his _**chest**_ at speeds it's never before acquired. And all he can think all the while is, '_He has Bonnie. He has Bonnie. That __**bastard**__ has Bonnie._'

All he can see is red. He's murderous, body tense, alert, and worked up to the point where he can literally _**feel**_ _**and**_ _**hear**_ the blood pumping through his veins. '_He has Bonnie. That __**bastard**__ has Bonnie!_' is all he can think; and he's so immersed in the annihilating thought that he doesn't even realize he's growling the words aloud.

He stormily patrols the area, eyes remaining black as coal, nostrils still flared, and jaw clenched dangerously as he murderously growls the words aloud, in a blind fit of fury that he only awakens from when Stefan shakes him wildly, nearing on the violent side, before placing his hands firmly on his shoulders and ordering him to pull himself together. Only then is he able to fully register his surrounds, register the group of people around him, most of them eying him with concern, and register the words being spoken around him.

"How did he find us?" Jackson demands, a look of utter despair on his face as he questions a blank looking Katherine with an unreadable emotion in her brown pools.

"Bonnie! God, no." Elena says in a small shaky voice, tears in her eyes as she shakes her head vehemently. "They can't have _**Gabe!**_ But what about you, Bon? What about you? What about you?" she repeats, a lost look on her face as she says the words swiftly, and all in one breath, in a manner that makes Damon believe she's been saying them for quite some time, in different variations.

The vampire looks over the scene before him, a deranged look of pain in his eyes as they roam over the desperate looking Jackson and his hanging by a thread sister-in-law. He can't even _**look**_ at Gabriel or he'll _**really**_ lose it, but as he watches Jackson and Elena, a picture of a chained up and scared Bonnie enters his mind, and that's exactly what he does.

"I'll kill him!" Damon suddenly, raspy and viciously, growls out, eyes absolutely murderous and convoluted as he snarls, being driven absolutely _**mental**_ by the thought of the Gin holding Bonnie captive in some terrible place, taunting and teasing her, and my gosh if he _**touched**_ her?

The vampire moves ferociously to attack, snarling _**monstrously**_, eager to let his painful fury out, not really knowing what he's going to do, but _**needing**_ do it all the same. Stefan holds him back though, arms firm on his shoulders as he says _**something,**_ but Damon is too enraged to hear, and Stefan's not strong enough to restrain him for long, especially when Damon is so blindingly demented in rage.

The frenzied vampire pushes past him with ease, only to growl out in earth-shattering fury when Stefan _**and**_ Jackson are in front of him the next instance, both holding him back with determination.

At the touch of the Latino man, Damon's ears start ringing, and his skin grows hot, and he starts to literally _**shake**_ with hellish rage. He swears he's never been so angry in his _**life**_. In all of his years! Even when he'd found out neither Katherine nor Elena loved him; he'd _**never**_ felt this murderous, _**never**_ felt this much anger! It's as if every ounce of anger he's ever felt towards the other man, every ounce of anger he feels at this moment, every _**ounce**_ of anger he's ever felt in his _**life**_ comes to surface at this point in time and Damon completely gives himself to it.

"_**Get the fuck off me!**_" he shouts maddeningly, severely pushing the muscular man off of him, and sending him stumbling back substantially, with the force of the blow, simultaneously cursing under his breath at his inability to completely maul the man, as he so _**badly**_ craves to do, out of fear of upsetting Bonnie.

Jackson's eyes flash black momentarily, and anger takes over every muscle in his face before dissipating almost immediately as he grunts before taking his place once more in front of Damon and placing a strong, restricting hand on his shoulder; and all Damon can think is that this man should _**really**_ keep his hands off of him.

"Hey, relax! Okay?" the tanned man orders, eyes dangerous and holding onto barely restrained anger as he glares wildly at the man before him. "I'm trying to help here!" he shouts, before growling furiously as he's painfully shoved back once more by a livid Damon.

"_**Don't fuckin touch me!**_" the steamed vampire shouts with authority, snarling at the Latino as he eyes him with erratic black orbs.

"You're not going to push me around, Damon." Jackson bites out through tightly clenched teeth, nostrils flared as his anger mounts and he stalks towards the other man with purpose.

Stefan says something to both men, voice taking on a commanding warning tone; but they both ignore him, both far too lost in their heated animosity to listen to any thing _**anyone**_ has to say.

"Oh I'll do better than that!" Damon snarls viciously, before lunging for the other man.

"If you wanna get your ass beat, then fine! I've wanted nothing more this entire day!" Jackson spits before lunging as well.

"_**Damon! Jackson!**_ Guys, stop _**now!**_" Stefan shouts furiously, but his words fall on death ears as both men collide and start moving around in a messy, violent and bloody blur.

Damon roughly and quite painfully punches Jackson across the jaw, and you can literally _**hear**_ the popping sound the organism makes as it snaps loudly. He doesn't pause anytime between blows and follows up his first hit, with a fierce punch to the Latino's eye, causing the other man's face to momentarily burn unbearably in pain from the violent force of the blow.

They continue to move around recklessly, landing blow after relentless blow into one another, with seemingly no end in sight; and Jackson is not losing all too badly either, but he's definitely not _**winning, **_Damon's drive and fury greatly surpassing his...and the older vamp is _**holding back **_still.

"You freakin waste of space!" he shouts savagely, punching the Latino hard in the ribs. "You should've done something! You shouldn't have let her out of your _**sight!**_ You should've done _**something**_ to keep that bastard from getting her! Lord knows I would've!" he exclaims nearly maniacally as he uppercuts the other man brutally to the chin.

"I was pissed because she told me about her feelings for you!" Jackson defends earnestly, landing a strong punch into Damon's nose as his eyes shine with anger and intensity. "She told me that you guys kissed! You'd be furious too!" he pants tiredly; and Damon lands a strong blow into his stomach.

"Yeah! But it wouldn't have clouded my protectiveness over her!" he yells, as the two of them slightly slow their once painfully swift movements, but continue to fight yet still.

"I had no _**idea**_ of the danger she was in!" Jackson snarls dangerously, a pained expression on his features. "Trust me, if I had, I would've protected her with my life!" he exclaims fiercely, sloppily and quite poorly punching the other vampire across the jaw.

"Yeah, well mission _**not**_ accomplished!" Damon shouts,, moving to knee the vampire in the ribs just as Stefan finally successfully rips the two men away from one another, with the help of Katherine. But this does nothing to stop the fiery verbal battle between the two supernaturals.

"_**I want her back just as badly as you!**_" Jackson exclaims passionately, struggling against Katherine's hold around him as he glares rampantly at Damon.

"I doubt that!" Damon spits back with equal passion, looking around his brother's form at the Latino vamp. "You could never want her back as badly as _**I **_do." he bites out hatefully, staring out of suddenly numb and empty eyes at the other man.

"Damon, calm down!" Stefan's barking and angry voice finally infiltrates the older Salvatore's senses, and he moves his empty orbs to meet his brother's severe ones. "I know you're angry! I know you're _**furious**_ and scared, but you've got to pull yourself together!" the regularly timid man spits out sharply, glaring pleadingly and dangerously at Damon. "Both of you! This isn't helping Bonnie at _**all**_. All you're doing is wasting precious time that we don't have. Now pull yourselves together!" the gray eyed man coldly bites out between clenched teeth, all but growling at his vampire counterparts, before looking to his trembling wife, who has finally pulled herself together (just barely) enough to comfort their tearfully frightened nephew.

"Pull yourself together, Damon." the younger vampire repeats, eying his brother determinedly. And Damon's head just drops, droops and lowers in defeat.

He's tired. He feels defeated and tired as his brother's words wash over him, and he fills with self loath, suddenly feeling like an absolute idiot for his hazardous behavior. At the realization of the time he's wasted, Damon's anger finally dissipates and gives way to the fear and despair it had been trying so fiercely to cover up.

Damon runs his hands through his hair in lost frustration before he feels his knees begin to buckle slightly, under all of the emotions finally allowed to surge through him. But Stefan holds him up, a sympathetic look on his features as he watches a lone tear slide out of Damon's once again ocean-blue orbs. He feels absolutely shattered, demolished, annihilated.

The rogue vampire has only cried a total of four times in all of his years, but damn it Damon cries now. He cries like a baby, strength giving way to tiredness as the fear and despair wash over his being and he struggles to keep from all out sobbing pathetically. Never before has he felt so weak, and he hates it; he hates feeling weak, scared, and helpless, but he can't help it. He's terrified. The _**powerful**_ and _**ruthless**_ Gin Sorcerer has Bonnie and he could very well, and quite easily, if he already hadn't kill – no. Damon can't even _**think**_ of that happening. He will surely lose his mind.

"Bon..." the tired vampire whispers brokenly, eyes closed tightly and painfully as he struggles to regain his composure and pull himself together for her sake.

Stefan's grasp tightens underneath Damon's arm comfortingly, and the younger Salvatore begins to lead his brother towards the log house, turning around to address the rest of the group.

"Game plan. Inside." he announces with authority before turning and leading a shattered Damon into the confines of the cabin.

**.BB**

Bonnie awakens to find herself in absolute darkness. Suffocating darkness where you could see absolute _**nothing**_ not even your hand before you.

She startles awake, heart immediately speeding as she looks around her wildly, meeting complete darkness in every which direction she turns.

She's never really been afraid of the dark; but still it's _**extremely**_ overwhelming to open your eyes and see the _**exact**_ same thing you see when you close them. It's inescapable, off-putting, and she's all alone, and it's _**painfully**_ quiet.

She panics slightly, patting blindly at the ground below her, trying to see where she is as the memory of the last thing that happened to her infiltrates her hysteric thoughts, and causes her to flail about even more.

She feels dirt beneath her palms. Is she outside? She doesn't feel as if she is...

At this discovery of the dirt, Bonnie immediately brings her left hand up to the back of her head, wincing as she feels the wet blood there. The last thing she remembers is being hit violently over the head. That, and the vampire she'd seen grinning down at her as she faded out of consciousness. She'd been captured by the Gin Sorcerer, she knew it, the low and disturbingly evil chuckle she'd heard before completely going out cold was impossible to misplace.

She thinks to stand and feel her way out of this unknown prison, but simultaneously notices the unmistakeable feel of brass restraints around her ankles.

She moves to grasp the chain and see if she's trapped to the ground, when a voice suddenly speaks within the darkness, and Bonnie jumps and gasps so fiercely it literally hurts her.

"You won't be getting out of here any time soon, witch." a raspy voice breaks into the silence and causes Bonnie's heart to nearly pound out of her chest as she stuns, before determinedly, and with quite a bit of effort, calming herself and strategically ignoring the cold shiver that runs down her spine at the sound of the eerie voice.

He's in the room! He's in the room _**with her**_, and has probably been the entire time she has. The fact sends a disturbing chill through the beautiful woman's blood, and her eyes immediately dart determinedly around her prison, seeking out the source of the toe-curling voice.

"Call out to your vampire, witch. I've lifted the blocking spell from earlier. Call him." the ghoulish voice speaks out once more, and Bonnie seeks the direction of it's user, but the words are seemingly bouncing around the room, coming from all points.

"Call him!" the creepy, dually high-octave, and low-octave voice repeats once more, and Bonnie is officially shaken, nearing the lines of being all-out frightened.

"No" she speaks into the darkness, with as much strength as she can muster. She's not about to give this Sorcerer _**any thing**_ he wants, much less her family and friends.

A humorless chuckle echoes throughout the darkness, causing another shiver to ripple down the witch's spine.

"Don't you want to be rescued?" she hears the Gin question; and she's quiet, lips stubbornly pressed closed, determined not to give him what he wants, determined to ignore his quips and not play his verbal game.

"Don't you?" his voice repeats louder this time and Bonnie screams out in pain as, what feels like extremely long and pointy fingernails, dig into her thigh, feeling like the rough stab of five large and dull needles.

"I'm not calling them here so you can kill them!" she shouts fiercely, eyes clenched tightly closed as she shakes her head at the piercing agony shooting through her leg.

At her words, the nails finally leave her skin, and she lets out a shaky breath before bringing a trembling hand down to the offended area.

"Ah. Quite the brave witch, aren't we? Willing to die in a weak _**attempt**_ to save your family?" the Gin's eerie voice enters echoes around Bonnie once more and she seethes angrily at his words.

"I won't!" she shouts forcibly, gathering strength from her sudden pain and anger at his heartless, taunting words. She wasn't sure if she'd die or not, but she would be damned if he did _**any thing**_ to harm her family! She would _**not**_ allow it to happen! "And you're a _**coward**_!" she spits back, looking blindly around the room for the source of her captive. "You won't even show your face." she derides, sneering in the darkness before she jumps slightly at the feel of a cold, bone-chilling breath on her left ear.

"Don't sneer at me witch." the Gin whispers darkly, and suddenly the room becomes alight.

Bonnie blinks a couple of times, shuddering away from the sudden brightness before noting that she's in a cave of sorts. Makes perfect since of why the Sorcerer's voice was bouncing off the walls. She's in a cave, a rather large one at that. It's about the size of the Manor sitting room, with a low roof but not nearly as low as the darker cavernous regions beyond it. The Gin can actually stand straight in it.

Speaking of the evil man, he's standing in the middle of the room next to a huge tube looking beam of bright, white light. Bonnie's never seen any thing like it. It travels from the ceiling of the cave to the floor and the single organism is setting alight the whole room to the point where the witch _**really**_ has to wonder where the heck this guy is from.

She looks at the light, wide-eyed and startled, before her eyes rake over the Sorcerer. He's still cloaked, as always, but he's looking at her with shadowy cold orbs, and she manages to see the pure blackness of his eyes, and is almost positive this creature _**never**_ had a soul, has _**never**_ experienced love. The empty hatred open and apparent in his eyes is heart stopping.

She gulps at the sight of it before simultaneously eying his long, black and bloody fingernails, knowing that this man would have absolutely _**no**_ problem killing her son, not to mention _**her**_ and the rest of her family.

"Don't call them if you want, witch. But they've been informed about your whereabouts and will come here all the same...sooner or later." The Gin grins sinisterly, and Bonnie watches him out of narrowed eyes, gauging the truth of his statement. Hoping to the heavens that it's a lie. "Then I'll have the pleasure of _**killing**_ you _**right in front of him.**_ And I'll make it more painful for your lack of obedience." he promises with a cold sneer before instantly disappearing from her sight, and leaving the quickly panicking witch cold and alone to her terrified thoughts.

**.DS**

Damon, Stefan, Jackson, Katherine, JP, Elena, and Gabriel all sit around the kitchen table, game faces on, the older Salvatore's initial fury and fear gone and replaced with fierce determination, as he, Stefan, and Jackson make plans to rescue Bonnie.

An attempt to put the small four year old to bed had been made, but he was far too scared and worked up to sleep, so he is currently in Elena's lap, leaning back into her tight embrace, face a mask of blankness for the true emotions he feels inside.

During the past hour they were able to discover that Grotta del vento was a cave in Italy. They were also able to acquire directions to the landmark. And they called JP for backup with Elena and Gabe.

They were now making ready for the journey ahead of them. Supplies were on the table and they were all packing them away for future use.

Stefan and Jackson stuffed two stakes into the ankle holsters the girls had made for them the previous year, and Damon grabbed the vervain gun Alaric had given to him all those years ago. JP and Elena also equipped themselves with stakes, and Katherine simultaneously reached for a sharpened piece of wood, but Damon quickly stopped her, placing a firm and halting hand on top of her own.

"No way, Kat." he tells her, shaking his head vehemently. "This is where we leave you. You're _**not**_ coming with us." he coldly tells the wavy haired vampire, eyes sharp and determined.

"What the hell, Damon?" the brown-eyed woman demands in return, eyes flashing angrily at him as she removes her hand from underneath his violent grasp and glares furiously at him.

"We could use her help, Damon." JP reasons.

"No thanks!" the blue-eyed man returns, eyes still murderously glued on the female vampire. "I'm still not completely convinced _**she's**_ not the reason they were able to find us in the first place!" he exclaims heatedly.

A look of mere shock overcomes the woman's face and Elena is nearly floored by what looks like hurt in the vampire's eyes.

"I didn't sell you guys out." Katherine says between clenched teeth, eyes burning intensely into Damon's.

"Oh get a fucking room, why don't you?" Jackson groans frustratedly.

"Jealous" Damon barks back, before fixing his vampire ex with a firm look. "How else did they find out then?" he demands.

"I don't know, _**Damon**_." she spits his name out with venom. "But I didn't tell anyone." she insists, leaving no room for argument as she retrieves the stake she'd previously been going for. "And I'm going. Don't particularly know _**why.**_ Maybe I just want to kick some ass, because I've got anger issues like that; but I'm going to help you assholes save the witch." she says decisively before emerging from the table, muttering something about retrieving her leather jacket.

Damon glances over at the clock and notes that it is now 8 o'clock. Nearly two hours has gone by and it's high time they left the cabin; and as much as he still wants to argue and question Katherine, they don't have the time. They need to get moving!

Their plan is...well _**half-baked**_, virtually non-existent as it's not really much of a plan at all, more like a "do the damn thing" sort of deal. _**Everyone's**_ going to the cave, they've decided. It's just too dangerous to leave anyone behind now that their location has been discovered. Everyone is going; but Jackson, Damon, and Stefan will be the only ones participating in the fight. JP will protect and guard Elena and Gabriel at all costs; and Katherine originally wasn't factored into the scheme of things...

It's not the best of plans, but it's a plan nonetheless.

Damon moves to make his way into the living room and retrieve his leather jacket, but immediately lowers himself back to his seat as Jackson heads in the same direction. Damon doesn't think the two of them should be around each other more than required at the moment; so he waits patiently and arches a curious eyebrow when the Latino disappears into Katherine's bedroom.

Eyes narrowed suspiciously, he makes to follow in the footsteps of the pair, before his eyes seemingly _**call**_ him over to the sight of his blank looking, and seemingly detached son. The sight of the emotionally closed-off look on his innocent and full of life boy's face completely _**floors**_ him and has Damon immediately dropping _**all**_ curiosity towards Jackson and Katherine and slamming down into his seat once more, eyes of concern glued to the young child before him.

He has no idea what is going on in the little boy's mind, but he knows that he must be _**terrified. **_He's only _**four years old**_ for heaven's sakes, and he's dealing with traumatic things that not even a full grown teenager should have to be burdened with! He must be horrified, painfully frightened for his mom, and missing her something terrible; and he himself as been too distracted to even notice him, let alone soothe his fearful thoughts. A heaviness settles onto his heart as he swallows at the painful sight of his scarred son, feeling like the worst Father in the world, as he emerges from his seat.

"Let me talk to you, Gabe." the vampire announces to the room, causing the little boy's eyes to slowly move up and land onto his own.

He nods his head, but other than that, his face remains blank, causing Damon's heart to speed in fear as Elena looses her hold on him and he hops out of her lap, grasping Damon's awaiting hand and walking into the living room with him.

"Go ahead and prepare to leave guys." Damon throws over his shoulder to his brother, Elena and JP, before coming to stand in the middle of room and kneeling before his son.

"Your mom is going to be fine, Gabe." Damon tells him firmly, blue eyes shining intently as he stares into his son's seemingly identical ones. This is new to him. He's never had to sooth or comfort a child, Bonnie was always around to take care of Gabriel in that way. He's skeptical and unsure if he's even doing it right, but all he knows is that he needs _**his**_ Gabriel back. He needs his son, not the blank shut-off boy before him. He _**needs**_ him to believe in him, to open himself up to him. He can't stand it if he's scared and feeling alone. That's the last thing he wants. He can't _**stand**_ it.

Gabriel only nods silently, painfully quiet and expressionless, and it breaks Damon's heart.

The older vampire sighs, feeling desperate and lost, before raking a hand over the boy's curls.

"Talk to me, Gabe. Tell me how you feel." he pleads gently, and Gabriel lets out a heavy exhale, but other than that he's quiet; and Damon closes his eyes, letting out a heavy breath, feeling like an absolute failure.

"You can tell me son, I promise you can." he softly attempts one more time, willing himself not to lose it. And the young boy opens his mouth hesitantly before closing it decisively. But finally, after a few seconds, he speaks; and Damon looks up and thanks every angel in the heavens above.

"I'm scared." Gabriel says hesitantly, voice tiny and small. "...What if you _**can't**_ save mommy? What if he hurts her?" he suddenly exclaims and confides, eyes watery, wild, and fearful as he stares at his Father with pleading eyes.

"Sssh!" Damon quiets adamantly, a pained expression on his face as he shakes his head vehemently, hands firmly grasping the boy's shoulders. "Nothing's going to happen to mom. I _**won't**_ let _**anything**_ happen to her." the vampire strongly informs his son, eyes passionate, and nostrils flared slightly. Do you believe me?"

It takes a couple of seconds, but Gabriel finally swallows and nods his head.

"But Dad, it's all my fault they took her." the four year old slowly speaks out in a shaky voice, his small hand clamped over his eyes. "They wanted_** me!**_" he exclaims brokenly.

"No!" Damon says fiercely, intensely, moving his son's hand away from his eyes, shattered by the tears he sees streaming down the boy's face. "This is _**not**_ your fault, Gabriel, you hear me?" he demands furiously, but the hybrid's nostrils only flare in response as he breathes shakily, tears continue to cascade down his cheeks.

Damon huffs angrily, wrenching his eyes closed, before kissing his son deeply on the forehead and running his hands repeatedly over his curls, vowing to viciously murder the evil being that kidnapped the love of his life, and made his son feel such painful and misguided guilt.

"This is not your fault." he says gently. "And your mom wouldn't want you to blame yourself; so don't do it. Don't you _**dare**_ do it." he says softly, intently, looking into his son's eyes; and Gabriel smiles a sad smile, that breaks Damon's heart, before wiping furiously at his tears.

"Okay" he says quietly. "I'm trying to be brave, Dad, really I am!" he says willfully, little lips tightened determinedly. "I know mom would want me to be brave..." he says softly.

"Hey, you're doing great." Damon gently assures. "Mom would be _**so**_ proud." he tells his son before sternly grabbing his shoulders once more and looking into his eyes. "Now listen to me...I don't want you to worry, okay?" he questions. "We're going to get your mom back, and everything's going to be alright. So don't you worry." the vampire firmly tells his son, praying to _**God**_ that his words reign true, and praying that his son believe them.

"Yes sir" Gabriel answers in a small voice, and Damon sighs in relief before pulling the boy into a tight hug, closing his eyes and squeezing him fiercely, smiling happily as his heart soars at the feel of the his son hugging him back with equal fervor. Damon honestly doesn't know how he was able to live without him for so long.

Finally, after a couple of moments, Damon hesitantly breaks away from the tight embrace, and Gabriel slowly does the same. The vampire stands to his feet and smiles a small smile at his son, that widens into a full-out grin at the sight of the four year old's playful smirk that makes him look _**exactly**_ like his Father.

"Go get ready." Damon instructs, running his hands over the boys curls before moving to the couch to retrieve his leather jacket, and try _**one**_ more time at contacting Bonnie.

**.BB**

It's the strangest thing, the places your mind will go when you're at the brink of death. You start to contemplate things, strange things like what life would've been like if you were a Chef.

Bonnie has been contemplating this. What would life have been like for her if she wasn't a witch. If she was a regular human girl. She'd always loved to cook. When she was younger she wanted to be a Chef. She would've had her own restaurant by now, she's sure. But at the end of the day, she can't regret what she's turned out to be.

She wasn't normal. But normal was vastly over-rated. She was a supernatural, and a powerful one at that. She'd saved many lives, and she'd experienced many adventures that most humans only dream about. Plus, she'd become part of a family, a family that more than likely wouldn't have came about if she were a normal, human Chef.

She'd met some _**amazing**_ people, solidified already strong relationships, and built ones she never would've imagined would prosper. Heck she'd even given birth to an overwhelmingly powerful, not to mention the only one of his kind, hybrid. She'd lived a good life and she couldn't bring herself to regret any thing about it.

It'd brought her even closer to Elena, her sister, the pea to her pod. It'd made them inseparable, gave them an even bigger connection than the one they'd already had.

Bonnie's thought a lot about her brunette friend during the past hour. She's wondered what the future would bring for her, wondered and hoped that Elena would watch after Gabriel after she was gone, hoped and _**prayed**_ that Elena would someday be blessed with the children she so desperately wanted to have with Stefan.

She also thought about Stefan, mused to herself about what an amazing friend he'd turned out to be, and thanked God for bringing him into her life and blessing her with the older brother she'd never had but always wanted. She thought of the many times he'd protected and fussed over her, and smiled to herself. She was going to miss him. But she was so thankful he'd be there for Elena, SO thankful that Elena had him because she really couldn't _**think**_ about how the brunette would take the news of her death.

She thought about Caroline, her other sister, and the other pea to her pod. She thought about the ever-talking, blonde, bubbly, and loveable girl, and prayed that she'd always stay that way. She prayed that she'd always be safe and happy. That Matt would always be there for her and Blaine. Caroline was really one of a kind and someone Bonnie would greatly miss. She prayed that she and Elena would be strong without her.

She thought about Jackson, Matt, Tyler, Jeremy, Blaine, Alaric, Jenna, Grams, her dad, Vicky, Mason, Mr. Turner, Katherine, JP, virtually everyone she'd ever met or came in contact with.

But at the forefront of her mind, nearly at the center of every thought she had; she thought about Gabriel...and Damon.

She thought about Gabriel, prayed fiercely for his safety continuously. She thought about what an amazing boy he was, such a perfect son: so loving, funny, smart, caring, and mischievous. He really was a mixture of her and Damon. She thought about the way he'd been protective of her when she'd first started dating Jackson. She thought about the many times he'd cheered her up when she was sad. Thought about the honorable man he'd be when he grew up. She sobbed helplessly because she knew she wouldn't be around to watch him grow and it _**broke**_ her. She knew he'd be a brave and powerful supernatural though, with or without her, and she said a prayer that he'd be alright when she was gone, that he wouldn't wallow in the pain for too long. That him and his Dad would be alright without her.

Speaking of his Dad, it shocked the hell out of Bonnie, that at her most crucial moment in time she would be plagued by thoughts of _**him**_, but he _**consumed**_ her thoughts.

She thought about the first time they'd slept together, thought about their first date, thought about the first time they'd made love, or the first time he'd looked at her out of those heart-stoppingly blue orbs and she knew that their casual relationship would never be the same.

Her every thought had something to do with the Father of her child. She'd thought about his trademark smirk, cried hysterically at the prospect of never seeing it again. She'd thought of how ridiculous he'd act when he was jealous and she laughed maniacally. She thought of their many adventures together and their many conversations and she knew. Out of all the people she was leaving behind, she'd miss the him most. Him and Gabriel. She'd miss them so badly she was nearing the brink of insanity merely thinking about it.

She'd thought briefly about Jackson, thought about what an _**amazing**_ man he was. She thought about how wonderful he'd been to her, how he'd helped her trust and love again, how he'd won her affections. She thought about how badly she'd miss him, which surprisingly was no where _**near**_ how badly she'd miss Damon. Seems the answer to her heart-wrenching dilemma was finally solved. When there was _**nothing**_ she could do about it...Ironic how that happens.

She would be gone. And it would be too late. The Sorcerer would surely kill her soon for he'd clearly been lying earlier about calling Damon and the gang, and she was still not bending to his request. He would surely kill her for disobeying him. She'd be gone within a couple hours tops. But she knew Jackson would be alright. He'd move on in time; he would find someone else.

Damon, however, she was scared for, _**terrified**_ for. Damon would be worst then Elena. Damon would want to tear the _**world**_ apart, Damon would disappear in his grief and cease to ever be the same infuriating being again. Her death would completely ruin him, she was sure of it.

She wasn't sure he'd be able to be there for Gabriel and this terrified her to no end. Gabriel needed him, and he needed Gabriel, and Bonnie needed them _**both**_ to be alright. If she was going to die, she needed them to be alright.

Perhaps right before that crucial moment, she'd call out to Damon, tell him goodbye and tell him her dying wish was for him to look after their son. He'd always been a promise keeper after all. She isn't sure she'll be able to take his reaction to her telling him goodbye though...

Just as she is contemplating this, in the most ironic, heart-attack-inducing way, Damon's voice suddenly enters Bonnie's mind, causing the witch to immediately inhale sharply, heart pumping violently in her chest as she closes her eyes tightly and swears under her breath at the words he speaks.

**.DS**

Damon closes his eyes, from his seat on the couch, and takes several deep breaths, in and out, in and out; slowly he breathes, emptying his mind and concentrating on nothing more than contacting Bonnie. He's never had to work this hard to achieve the connection but he's desperate, so he'll try any thing he possibly thinks might help. He just needs to _**talk**_ to her, _**needs**_ know that she's alright!

Damon says a silent prayer before exhaling heavily one more time and attempting to reach out to Bonnie.

_'Bonnie, I don't know if you can hear me, but we're coming to get you, alright? Hang in there, baby!' _he sends desperately, praying harder than ever before in his life that she gets his message. He truly hates the thought of her being scared and alone in some horrible place.

**Bonnie rakes her hand over her face in desperation and frustration, from her spot in the bright cave, as her heart sinks to the pit of her stomach and she bites furiously into her bottom lip, at the sound of Damon's words, before sending a reply to the vampire. **

_**'Damon, no! You have to stay away! He'll kill you all!'**_

Damon's eyes shoot open as the words enter his mind, and he pants heavily, honestly thinking he's never been more happy in his life, as a strong wave of relief washes over him and he hastily replies back, afraid that the connection may disappear some how.

_'Bonnie! You can hear me? How is that even possible?' '_he quickly sends._ 'He hasn't hurt you has he? I swear to God I'll kill him!' _he adds, eyes opened and furious as he glares into the space aroundhim_, _temper suddenly shooting up to high levels as the thought occurs to him._. _

**The familiar infuriated and protective tone in the vampire's voice warms Bonnie's heart. But she doesn't have long to bask in the feeling because she has to make sure that Damon and the others do NOT come after her. They HAVE to leave her, they have to escape; otherwise they'll all die!**

_**'Damon, calm down! The Gin took away the communications barrier, he put up, about an hour ago. He wanted me to call to you for help, but I refused...Seems he was right when he said you'd come any ways...'**_

_'Damn right!' _Damon sends back, nearly instantly after hearing the witch's reply._ 'Bonnie why wouldn't you contact me?' _he demands furiously.

_'**Because it's a trap, Damon!'** _**Bonnie passionately returns, gripping helplessly at the bounds, around her, from her spot on the ground.**_ **'This will not end well for you guys! I can't let you get hurt! Or worst...'**_

The meaning of the witch's words **crash** into Damon and cause him to spew with barely restrained anger.

_'So you thought you'd what, sacrifice **yourself?** No way Bonnie!'_

_**'Yes, Damon! At least only one person dies that way!' **_**Bonnie fiercely returns, cursing the enchanted chains around her ankles that keep her from using her powers. If it weren't for them she could've BEEN out of here, and they wouldn't even have the OPPORTUNITY to come after her!**

_'Yeah, but it's **you**, Bon. It's you, and that's not even an option.' _Damon sends back to Bonnie, voice still equally fierce but slightly less **booming.**_ 'I just got you back, okay? There's no way in **hell** I'm losing you again!' _he determinedly tells her, and when she doesn't reply right away_...'**And** the Gin knows our location now; it's not like we'll get off scott free if you sacrifice yourself!' he informs. _

_**'It'd give you time to find a new location!' **_**Bonnie fiercely returns. **

_'**No**, Bonnie! **No**, okay? We're not losing you!'_

_**'Yes, Damon! You have too!'**_

Damon runs a frustrated hand through his hair, knowing that this argument is pointless and going nowhere; and that they're going **after** Bonnie whether she likes it or not. Stefan and Elena would completely back him up on that, he's sure.

_'Geez woman!' '_he sends to her, a certain suddenly gentle tone to the frustration in his voice. '_Miles away, being held prisoner, and you're **still** arguing with me.' _he sighs tiredly.

_**'Miles away, and you still haven't realized that I'm right almost ALL the time.'**_

Bonnie returns, and Damon can't help but smile to himself at her typical words.

_'So stubborn.' _he tells her.

_**'And you're not!' **_**comes her incredulous reply.**

And Damon chuckles to himself.

_'Damn, I miss arguing with you in person...' _he tells her, a suddenly serious, and thoughtful look on his face, **that Bonnie imagines with mind-blowingly accurate precision, from her place inside the cave.**

_**'I've only been gone a couple of hours.' **_**she timidly bites her lip, waiting anxiously for his reply, knowing that her words are pointless because even though they've only been apart for such a short time, she misses him now, more than she's ever missed him before in her life.**

_'Still. I missed it all those years, being apart from you, and I'm missing it now...I miss the making up more though.'_

**His words infiltrate Bonnie's thoughts, and although they make her roll her eyes slightly, she can't help but smile to herself at the sound of them. **

_**'Of course you do, Damon.' she teases.**_

Damon chuckles good naturedly at Bonnie's words, practically able to see the playful look on her face, before growing serious once more, and closing his eyes before sending his next words?

_'You know what I'm gonna do when we get you out of there?' _he asks her, tone light and promising.

_**'What?' **_**she asks, chewing on her bottom lip. **

_'I'm gonna make love to you like 70 times, till neither one of us can stand straight.' _he sends._ 'And you can argue; you can pick fights all **day** long if you want; you're going to be right every single time.'_

**Bonnie's heart soars at the appealing words, and suddenly she wants nothing more than to be in Damon's arms, putting good use to fulfilling his promise. Yeah...definitely way better than being a Chef...**

_**'Liar'**_

_'We'll see who's lying in a couple of hours.' _

**Damon sends, and Bonnie sighs heavily. They'll die. She's sure they'll all die. She has such a bad feeling about it, and she won't be able to stand it if any thing happens to him. **

_**'Damon, don't come. Please. You'll die. You'll all die.' **_**she begs desperately. **

_'No we won't!' _Damon returns fiercely, willing Bonnie to believe his words. _'Don't worry, Bon. I've got a plan.'_

_**'Never really liked the sound of those words much...'**_

_'Shut up!' _Damon returns, happily laughing out at the oh-so Bonnie like reply, and at the thought of what she would say to him if she _**really**_ knew his "ingenious plan."_ 'We're coming to get you, alright? And there's nothing you can say to change our minds; we're leaving in a couple of minutes.' _he tells her seriously, decisively, praying for her to know that there's absolutely _**nothing**_ she can do that will stop them.

_**'Damon!' **_**Bonnie exclaims in objection, before sighing in defeat.****_ '...Fine.'_**

_'Just hang in there, alright?' _he then instructs his witch, determined for her to remain safe, and hang on till they are able to get to her.

_'I will. Don't worry about me. Just make sure you guys get in here **safely.**'_

_'We will...Bonnie has he hurt you?' _

He's been wondering this for quite some time. The question's been plaguing his thoughts and he **has** to know.

_**'Not very much...' **_**Bonnie under-sales, not wanting Damon to be painstakingly angry and bent on vengeance during his journey to her destination. **

_**'I'll murder the bastard!' **_Damon roars furiously,** and Bonnie doesn't think he bought into her lie all that well...**

_**'Damon. Think with a clear head.' **_**the green-eyed woman sends in an admonishing tone.**

_'I will. But I'm going to **kill** this bastard!' _

Damon returns,** and Bonnie sighs in defeat. **

_'...I love you, okay?' _he sends to her after a few silent seconds, his tone a lot more calm and gentle. **And Bonnie's heart soars at the words.** '_We'll get you out of there soon, I promise.' _he tells her.

**Bonnie merely closes her eyes, taking in Damon's voice, the sound of it, and allowing those three wonderful words, that don't hurt her so badly to hear him say any more, wash over her and calm her frightened nerves.**

_**'Okay...' **_**she finally says after a long moment of silence.**_ '**I love you too, Damon.'** _**she returns softly, heart hammering in her chests as she says the three words she hasn't spoken to him in over five ****years. But she does. She loves him, and she wants him to know. Especially just in case anything should...**

The words shock the eldest Salvatore stupid, and he can't believe his ears but he **knows** she said it! He has the urge to ask her to repeat it still though, just to be sure he isn't hallucinating! But he doesn't want to push his luck, so he just grins like an idiot, heart soaring over the moon as he feels the absolute happiest he's felt in five years. It's not even happiness, it's **joy**, pure joy! He is absolutely ecstatic!

_'You do?' _he questions his beautiful witch hesitantly, unable to keep the grin out of his voice as he waits hopefully for her reply.

_**'I do.' **_**she breathes,**and Damon closes his eyes and takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out, thinking that there's no way she has **any** idea what her words mean to him. **'**_**I always have. Now go! We don't have a minute to waste!' **_**Bonnie orders, praying to the heavens that God works a miracle because there's no way she can **_**lose**_** Damon, not now, not when they might actually be able to be together again! Not when she might finally be ready to let them be together again! **

_'Okay, I'm going! I'm going!' _Damon assures._ 'But you've just made me the happiest man in the **world**, just so you know!' _he happily tells her.

_**'Go, Damon!' **_**Bonnie sternly orders, though there's a smile on her face,**and Damon can hear it in her voice. **'**_**Be careful.'**_

_'**You** be careful.' _comes Damon's teasing reply, as he shuts off their connection and sprints excitedly into the kitchen.

He's never felt so _**amazing**_ in his life, never felt so _**happy**_, never before experienced so much _**JOY!**_ _**Bonnie loves him!**_ She loves him, and he can't_** believe**_ it, but he's so _**lucky!**_ He's so _**happy!**_ _**SO VERY HAPPY! **_She still _**loves**_ him!And now they have to get the _**hell**_ out of this cabin and get her back! **SHE LOVES HIM!**

"_**Guys!**_ Guys! _**C'mon!**_ We've got an evil Sorcerer to murder and some vampire's to stake!" the blue-eyed man shouts to the group of adults (and Gabriel) as he races into the kitchen, grinning from ear to ear with an insane look of joy on his face.

He's met with silence, and a vast amount of slack jawed, narrow-eyed looks of concern.

"I told you guys. He's lost his mind." Katherine suddenly speaks, addressing the room, and eying the happy vampire before her with wide eyes. "We heard you laughing to yourself in there, like some kind of _**psycho maniac.**_" she informs Damon before looking over to Elena. "The witch's disappearance has finally made him flip his lid." she says matter-of-factly, but Damon only laughs, causing the group to grow even more concerned with his state of mind.

"I talked to your mom, kiddo!" the blue-eyed man exclaims happily, moving over and scooping his son out of his brother's grasp, almost starting a whole new wave of laughter when Stefan seemingly tries to hold the boy back from him with wide fearful eyes trained on him.

"You did?" Gabriel exclaims joyously, an instant smile breaking out on his features as he stares, eyes twinkling at his Dad for confirmation.

"I did!" Damon grins. "And she's _**safe,**_ and wants us to get to her as soon as possible, so lets get out of here!" the vampire exclaims before tossing his grinning son onto his back and darting towards the front cabin door, leaving the rest of the room murmuring in surprise after him.

The atmosphere immediately changes in the cabin from one of foreboding, to one of hope and Damon can't help but grin idiotically as he makes his way to the cabin door, an excited Elena hot on his heels.

"Oh my gosh, Damon! You contacted Bonnie?" the brunette exclaims grinning ecstatically, tears in her eyes as the leather-clad man merely turns around, grinning proudly at her in reply before throwing open the front door of the cabin, and immediately freezing in his tracks at the sight before him.

The smile disappears from his features and is replaced with a look of staggering perplexity.

"What the -

The vampire starts, shocked stupid by the sight of a clearly about to knock Tyler, backed up by a grinning Matt, Jeremy, Caroline, and little Blaine Donovan.

The look of shock on Damon's face slowly turns into a dazed smile, as he eyes the smirk on the wolf's face.

"Had a feeling you guys might need some back up soon!"

**Chapter End**

**Author's note:**** Wow! Worked so unbelievably hard on that you guys would not BELIEVE! Did SO much editing! REALLY wanted you guys to feel the emotions and dangers of the situation! Gosh, so crucial! And so much at stake! I really wanted to build the intensity of it all! Hope you guys felt it! And I hope you weren't TOO terribly dissappointed by the length of this! I can't WAIT for you guys to see how this ends! Only a couple of Chapters left, and this roller coaster of an adventure will be over! It's been SUCH an amazing ride with you guys! Thanks SO much for it! You guys TRULY made it what it was! I hope their telepathic conversation wasn't too hard to follow, gosh I hop it wasn't! And I also hope to be updating SOON, Lord's will! But in the meantime, check out my updates for "Something There," and my Mason/Bonnie story "Masonnie!" Would REALLY mean A LOT! Review and let me know what you thought of this please, SO eager to know what you thought! And thanks SO much for reading! God bless! Important words of wisdom below! Long. But entertaining and important! God bless!**

**Words of wisdom:**** Try not to be so quick to judge! It's hard, and sometimes I fall guilty to it myself (especially with celebrities), but we've got to stop! We've got to stop ridiculing and writing off Miley Cyrus! We've got to stop trashing Lindsay Lohan! They are human beings as well! What they need are our prayers and support! We see things with them only ONE-DEMINSIONALLY and there are ALWAYS TWO sides to a story! We've got to open ourselves up to that, and stop only seeing what the MEDIA wants us to see! They're not as reliable as they seem! In fact, they often manipulate our thoughts to feel a certain way about most every thing! What I want to know is why they're suddenly against Miley and Lindsay. Why do they want us to hate them? (Lindsay Lohan isn't the ONLY celebrity on drugs, heck they probably all are! J/K!) All I know is that it makes me LOVE Lindsay and Miley all the more, and feel HORRIBLY bad for slandering their names (no matter how fleeting the instances came and went) in the past! I'm going to be praying EXTREMELY hard for them! I hope you guys will do the same! And ****please, do as I am trying and try not to judge people, after all we have no right to "For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God!" Thanks for reading. Pray for Miles and Linds! God bless! **


	12. Chapter 9 Part 2

**Author's note:**** Wow. I'm sorry. More sorry than I've ever been about something. I've been wrong. I've been pathetic, and I've been a jerk. You guys didn't deserve this. You've been so good to me, and yet I've left you hanging for over a year...Words truly cannot express ****how sorry I am. This has just been extremely hard for me to write! In fact I had to split it up, and what would've been one large Chapter 9 Part 2, is now gonna be a Chapter 9 Part 2 and Chapter 9 Part 3! The REAL action will come in Part 3! :( I'm sorry, ****but it had to be done if I wanted to get this update up for you guys! Action is not one of my core fortes to write...so that part has taking a bit longer! :( Plus I've been terribly busy, so that doesn't help either! But any how, I'm terribly, terribly so****rry! You are the BEST readers I have! The best readers ANYONE could ever hope to have! And I shouldn't have left you hanging for so long. I'm truly sorry. But thank GOD I'm finally updating now! If it wasn't for him! Sheesh! I've missed you guys someth****ing terrible! It's good to be back! So...without further ado I guess, this is not the most EVENTFUL chapter, but thanks SO much for reading it! Hope you enjoy it somehow! (Didn't proofread much, so sorry for mistakes!)**

Chapter 9 Part 2

_"Oh my gosh, Damon! You contacted Bonnie?" the brunette exclaims grinning ecstatically, tears in her eyes as the leather-clad man merely turns around, grinning proudly at her in reply before throwing open the front door of the cabin, and immediately freezing in his tracks at the sight before him._

_The smile disappears from his features and is replaced with a look of staggering perplexity._

_"What the -_

_The vampire starts, shocked stupid by the sight of a clearly about to knock Tyler, backed up by a grinning Matt, Jeremy, Caroline, and little Blaine Donovan._

_The look of shock on Damon's face slowly turns into a dazed smile, as he eyes the smirk on the wolf's face._

_"Had a feeling you guys might need some back up soon!"_

"Oh my goodness! I don't believe it! Come in! Come in!" an ecstatic Elena suddenly chimes, hastily shuffling past her dark haired brother-in-law to thrust bright eyes and a dangerously wild smile upon her group of friend's, just as the man behind her seems to freeze eerily where he stands.

Damon just stops, truly seems to still completely behind Elena, as the smile on his face diminishes slowly, and a disturbing look of emptiness glazes over his eyes.

"That son of a bitch took Bonnie, you guys! Can you believe it? Thank God you're here! You couldn't have shown up at a better time!"

Elena's voice is but a mere echo in the inner realms of Damon's mind, along with the sight of her hastily ushering the group of heroins into the cabin, as he stands, seemingly comatose his smile having disappeared altogether, as a certain realization dawns on the blue eyed vampire.

And time seems to stop. Before picking back up again in slow motion.

Tyler, Matt, and the rest of the old Mystic Fall's gang begin to pile into the cabin, each stopping to hug his sister-in-law and offer words of greeting as they pass. And Damon can't even seem to speak.

Time slows drastically for the vampire, and every word is spoken with a chilling kind of echo to it, while he just stands there statuesque still. He can't talk. He can't move. And he swears he can't breathe as he watches the happenings around him in a state of horrified shock, one eerie thought clambering and taking over the forefront of his mind.

How in the world did the gang know where they were?

The vampire's heart pounds thickly in his chest as the question repeats itself deathlessly in his head. How the _**hell**_ did they know where they were? What was going on? Something was terribly wrong! There was a flaw in their plan, a flaw in their security. How was the gang able to find them? Was it the same way the Gin had? Could the Gin still get to them?

The blue eyed supernatural swallows slowly and forces the tumultuous questions to the hindquarters of his brain with a deep, calming breath, before shakily moving his right hand into his hair. He shakily rakes fingers through his brown locks, while maintaining a dangerous hold on the doorknob of the open cabin door with his other hand, desperate for support, because he's slowly losing it.

He's panicking. He's antsy and agitated! And deeply torn, because he needs answers! What in the world is telling their location? How the heck does every one know where they are? But even more important then obtaining these answers, he needs to get to Bonnie!

Damon lets out a loud, decisive growl, ridding his thoughts completely of the raging questions that have momentarily taken reign in them, before reminding himself of the task at hand, and violently slamming the front door so hard it causes the cabin to shake.

"Well, long story short, we could _**really**_ use your help! I'm so glad you guys are here!"

Damon purposefully enters the kitchen, just in time to catch the tail end of his sister-in-law's sentence and unleash a literally frightening frown onto his face. Because - and he knows he's about to be a stone-cold asshole; and really, only two minutes has gone by, and they are merely being caught up on the details of the situation, but - really what the heck was this? Circle time? Show and tell?

"Are you kidding me? It's Bonnie! We'd never let any thing happen to her." a beaming Jeremy echoes hero-like, in reply to his sister's words, and Damon loses it.

"That's terrific." the dark haired vampire says through what could possibly be the fakest, most sarcastic and sadistic smile he's ever delivered in his life.

"But in case you guys have forgotten, we're kind of working on a time limit." he literally fights to keep the smile on his face and keep from vamping out, because honestly he could strangle each and every one of them at the moment. "Don't really have time for the family reunion, 411, 'let me catch you up on the latest drama and gossip' bull! So pack your shit up – thanks for coming, really means the world and all – but get the fuck out! All of you! Haul ass! Because if any thing happens to Bonnie, Blaine's gonna be _**parent-less**_ and Gabe without any Aunts or Uncles, cause I will kill ALL of you." Damon informs swiftly, all in one breath, tone lethal and promising.

This seems to grasp everyone's attention and also impose a literally dead silence within the little home, as Damon rolls his eyes in annoyance, and fights off a growl, because _**why the heck are they still not moving?**_

They all just stare at him, some with understanding, some with realization, and some with fear.

He seems to have rendered them all speechless and motionless, and he's seriously about to break one of their necks for still standing still, when...

"A little hostile, Damon...but he's right. Move out!" Stefan finally echoes, eying Damon with slightly admonishing gray orbs, that do nothing to cover the sudden urgency and fear displayed in the storminess, as he initiates the moving of bodies and gathering of belongings, and the group piles out of the cabin. And yeah, Damon probably could have said things a little less...threatening, but did he give a rat's ass? Hell no! Did they not get what was going on? Did they really not get that Bonnie was being held prisoner as they SPOKE, and they didn't have a second of time to waste! Did they not get that? They didn't have time for the cheesy Power Ranger phrases and hero trash talk!

The blue eyed vampire grits his teeth and watches as the group of friends pile out of the cabin, before moving to grab and stuff a vervain gun and stake launcher into his shoulder holsters, and hightailing it after the group, rearing the gang and hurrying them out of the log expanse.

Once outside, Damon wordlessly lifts Gabriel into his arms, before speeding off into the forest, with the others following close behind him until he reaches the edge of forest where the small dirt road starts/ends.

He gently places Gabriel onto the ground, before darting his alert blue eyes around the area where the cars have been parked, just as Stefan arrives with Elena, Tyler with Blaine, Katherine with Jeremy, Jackson with Matt, and JP with Caroline.

"I see you've managed to get the 300 from your girlfriend this time..." a smirking Katherine shoots over to JP at the sight of the sparkling red car, speaking for the first time in a while, as she comes to a complete stop, pushing Jeremy out of her arms, and running a hand through her long dark locks.

"Yeah, told the chick to hit the road. Too pushy, and a bit of a clinger too." JP chuckles slightly, and it causes Damon to grimace, because it's all so poorly pathetic. All of it, the gesture on Katherine's part and JP's laughter. It's all too obvious and poor an attempt to lighten the charged atmosphere, that seems to have immediately turned morose at Stefan's proclaimed, "Move out."

Fun and games are over. The happy reunion is over. And everyone seems to know, and seems to finally acknowledge the weight of the dangerous and dire situation they're in. One of their own was in life-threatening danger, and not just anyone. Bonnie: the heart and soul of the group.

"We've got room for two more in the Hummer, if anyone wants to ride!" Matt shouts out, already in the driver's seat of the large black vehicle, interrupting Damon's thoughts, as the vampire in question absentmindedly makes his way over to the SUV, Gabriel never far from his thoughts. It might calm the little fellow to ride along with his cousin.

"Gabe and I do..." the blue eyed man mutters, with distracted and furrowed eyebrows, before suddenly glancing over at his gazing brother.

"Meet you guys there. Drive safe, and speed like hell." Damon directs with dangerously intense eyes narrowed at both Stefan and JP, as he helps Gabriel into the back seat of the black truck and follows in after him.

******B.B******

Bonnie closes her eyes in a near euphoric state as the heat waves from the sun shine down and deliciously warm her body.

It feels so good.

She nearly moans aloud as she feels a gentle breeze mix in with the sensation of the sun rays as it washes over her, tickling her skin and softly pushing the curly strands of her ponytail.

It's so peaceful here she swears she could fall asleep and not wake up for an entire week! Maybe even months and years!

But why would she want to go to sleep on paradise? There's so many other better things to do!

The witch giggles to herself at the thought, before wrenching her eyes open and inhaling the scent of the ocean, before taking in the majestic sight before her.

The sand around her is so clean, it's literally white, and the waters north of her are so blue and clear you can see your surroundings in it.

She can't help but sigh in elated bliss as she cheerfully reaches down, grabbing a handful of the clean, white beach flakes, before distractedly letting them seep out of her hand as her eyes lock onto the exotic palm trees of the place, and she laughs.

Everything here is just so beautiful: the sand, the water, the trees, but even more than them, the people around her.

Men, women, boys, girls - skinny, big, pale, tanned, Black, White, Asian, Latino, Indian - all shapes and sizes of people were represented in this island paradise, and they were all smiling, making them the most mesmerizing thing on the beach, to the witch.

The smiles on their faces were so bright and filled with joy as they ran around the beach, built their sand castles, held conversations on their beach towels, and swam in the waters of the ocean – couples, friends, and family.

Family!

At the thought and sight of the grinning parents and children, Bonnie shoots up in her seat and nearly tumbles out of the beach chair in abrupt panic as thoughts of her own little flock assault her. Where is Gabriel? Where is Damon?

The witch is all of two seconds away from having a panic attach when she suddenly notices a certain pair of males in the midst of the ocean waves.

They're here. She didn't see them a moment ago, somehow! But thank God, they're here now, and they're safe.

Bonnie sighs heavily at the realization, before relaxing back into her comfortable lounge chair, staring mesmerized and ecstatic at the sight of Gabriel and Damon all the while.

She swears she's never been so happy in all her life. She can do nothing to keep the smile from her face as she watches her vampire and their son.

Of all the people roaming around the beach, the two stick out to Bonnie like sore thumbs. They're like large, elaborately decorated gifts under a shabby Christmas tree, oh so noticeable and beautiful as they splash around in the water, laughing hysterically and grinning madly.

They're safe! She's safe! They're all safe!

The witch goddess doesn't realize she's crying until the first tear caresses and rolls down her soft cheek.

Everything is over! The fight with the Gin is over! He's dead! And they're all safe! Bonnie can't help but cry hysterically at the joyful realization, before choking on a giggle at the sight of her son teetering on a surf board as his father attempts to teach him to surf.

Gabriel tumbles off the board and into the water, and of course Damon's there to catch him immediately, as the two break out into furious laughter, and Bonnie laughs along, grinning uncontrollably.

_Bonnie..._

The witch lets out a heavy sigh and wipes determinedly at her cheeks and watery eyes, before staring once again at the pair before her, only to feel her heart take flight when she sees a running Gabriel making a dash toward her.

"Mommy!"

His blue eyes sparkle as he makes his way toward her with a grin on his face that warms her insides and sets her soul on fire.

She loves this boy more than the number of salt grains in the ocean. From the land to the sky, she loves him! More than any amount of words can ever express, she loves him.

Her heart soars as she watches her approaching little man, before slowly meeting the warm gaze of his father behind him, and feeling the organ stop completely.

There's so much love in those blue eyes, such a happy look of content she's never seen in them before. It makes her heart stop and swell so largely, she nearly starts crying again, but Gabriel never gives her the chance as he flings himself into her arms and hugs her tightly.

"Dad said I should hug you, and check on you! Do you need any thing?" the little hybrid pants cheerfully, but Bonnie barely hears him. She holds on for dear life, taking in the blissful feel of his small body in her arms, healthy, firm, and safe. She never wants to let him go. If anything ever happened to him...

The beautiful witch swallows away the lump in her throat, along with her forlorn thoughts, as she slowly breaks away from her son's embrace, squeezing his sides slightly as she does so, before fixing him with a slightly water smile.

"No baby, I'm fine. Thanks." she assures comfortingly, before running her fingers through the boy's curls, and kissing him gently on the cheek. "I love you." she feels compelled to let him know before completely releasing him from her grasp.

"Eww, _**Mom!**_ Too mushy gushy!" the five year old complains, only making Bonnie's heart soar higher, as her smile turns into an all out grin at the typical boy words.

"I'll show you mushy gushy!" the witch threatens promisingly, before grabbing hold of the hybrid once more and showering his face with kisses.

"I love you! I love you, I love you sooooooo much! - Don't you love me, Gabe? - Don't you love your mom anymore?" she teases as she rains swift butterfly kisses on his cheeks, chin, forehead, and nose.

"_**Mom, stop!**_ The girls will see..." the little boy objects, his yellow cheeks taking on an auburn color as Bonnie finally stops her antics and fixes her son with an inquisitive eyebrow and warm smile that he simply stares at for the longest time, before finally smiling back at her and turning to look over his shoulder at a cute little, curly haired Latino girl busy with an ice cream cone.

The witch arches a knowing eyebrow before smiling teasingly at her furiously blushing son, when he turns around to face her once more.

"I love you too." he whispers to Bonnie, before covertly kissing her cheek and jogging back off toward the ocean, seemingly ignoring her playful eyes, as he turns back to address his father. "You coming, dad?"

"Right behind you in a second!" Damon shouts after the boy, blue eyes fixed on Bonnie all the while, as she helplessly stares back.

_Bonnie, wake up..._

"You sure you don't need any thing, Mrs. Salvatore." the dark haired vampire questions; before moving in one fell swoop to sit at the edge of the witch's chair, trapping her body with his arms, as he leans in dangerously close to her, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes as he stares at her, but refrains from kissing.

And all Bonnie can do is go utterly pale and lose her breath at the feel and weight of Damon's words, as she stares down in astonishment at the mesmerizing ring on her finger.

The beautiful yellow gold band...the four consecutive diamonds on it's face...first, the emerald colored, then a white diamond, followed by another emerald, and ending in white...absolutely gorgeous. Breathtakingly gorgeous...

She and Damon are married! She is Mrs. Salvatore! When did all of this happen? Somehow she doesn't quite remember, but it doesn't matter! All that matters is that she's never felt so elated, so blissful, so overjoyed in her entire life!

Tears prick the edges of the witch's eyes as she stares up from the ring and into her husband's blue eyes.

"Yes...I'm sure I've got every thing I could ever need right here, Mr. Salvatore."

_**Wake. Up. Bonnie.**_

The voice carried in on the breeze, becomes a little louder and more persistent as the breeze turns into an all out wind. But Bonnie ignores it, and instead focuses on her vampire's handsome smile as he stares intensely at her.

"Don't you dare cry on me, you sap." he lightly reprimands before leaning in to kiss her chastely.

_So delicious_...Bonnie muses before deepening the kiss and moving her tongue slowly past his lips and into his warm mouth. Their tongues wrap around one another and tease and prod. Their teeth clash and lips brush as they kiss passionately, expertly, knowing exactly how the other likes it.

Damon traps her with his body leaning firmly into her as he reaches behind and pulls the scrunchy away from her high pony tail. He runs his right hand through her curly hair and caresses her naked stomach with his left, before finally breaking away when air becomes inevitable.

And he pants, and she pants breathlessly as she stares deeply into his eyes as he runs the backs of his fingers over her cheeks, staring at her as if she's all he can see.

"Gosh you're so beautiful..."

Bonnie's heart flutters as she licks her tingling lips closes her eyes as Damon kisses her forehead before leaning down to kiss her stomach.

"How are my little ones?"

_**WAKE UP!**_

Bonnie's eyes _**shoot**_ open as sand becomes dirt, her blue polka dot bikini - tattered tank and sweat pants, and her paradise beach, a dingy and depressing cave.

Her ring is gone. Her protruding belly is gone. Gabriel and Damon are gone.

Was she dreaming? Had she fallen a sleep? Was it a vision? Or some alternate reality she'd merely created to escape the traumatic horror she'd found herself privy to.

It'd all seemed so real...

_You could have it, Bonnie..._

The mysterious voice assaults the witch's senses once more, and this time she recognizes it.

Grams.

_You could have all of it and more if you can just get through this. Keep the faith, baby girl, and you'll defeat this evil. Your future is bright. There's so much more in store for you._

Bonnie gasps as her heart speeds to life.

A vision.

Her future. With Damon. With Gabriel. And...little_**ones?**_

******D.S******

It's quiet. So much so that a sudden sniffle would sound like a fog horn and a sigh like an approaching tornado. You could hear a pen drop.

Matt focuses on the road before him, a deeply concentrated look on his face, as he maneuvers through the streets of Italy like a raged maniac.

Tyler sits stock still and upright beside him, in the passenger's seat, with a tense tick in his set jaw as he glares straight ahead nearly unblinkingly.

In the seat behind him, Jeremy maintains a death grip on the vervain grenade launcher in his lap, as he stares blankly into space.

And in the seat beside him, Blaine fiddles with his dirty blonde hair, exchanging nervous glances with Gabriel ever so often, before going back to fussing with his hair and observing the tense adults around him, while his hybrid cousin does the same from his spot in the back seat of the car, nestled between his dad and Aunt Caroline. He fiddles with his thumbs instead of his hair, but also exchanges nervous glances with his shaggy haired cousin before observing the adults around them.

They're only five minutes into their journey, but it feels like five hours...five, tension-filled hours, Caroline muses to herself as she stares unabashedly at the dark haired, blue eyed vampire seated across from her.

The previous energy and determination bursting within the man has seemingly done just that – burst completely out of Damon, like air in a balloon, leaving him empty and lifeless, with his chin bowed down to his chest, hands clasped behind his head, and elbows resting on his knees, so that he looks as if he's trying to put himself into a headlock with his clasped forearms.

Caroline absentmindedly wonders if she should force the man upright, less he start to squeeze his arms together with his super strength, before taking that straightforward plunge and swiftly whipping to the right, tearing his head clear off his shoulders. She'd seen him do it to a guy once...and he looks just about ready to end his life, at the moment.

She'd wait it out though, and merely keeping a watchful eye on him for now. She doesn't want to anger him anymore than he already is by behaving drastically, because he is not himself. He is worried, nervous, furious, and ferocious Damon. An off the rails, dangerous, uncontrollable, and unpredictable beast! Calm one moment, and ripping viciously into your neck the next. And Caroline knows from experience to deal carefully with him when like this!

So she merely chews nervously on her bottom lip, while maintaining a close watch on the vampire, who continues to sit frighteningly still.

Damon is lost. He's irrevocably lost in his thoughts, deep and troubled.

He couldn't protect her. He wasn't there when she'd needed him most. And now she was the prisoner of this monstrous warlock! It was his fault. He should have sensed her impending danger long before he had. He should have known something was wrong! He should have kept her from talking to Jackson!

_Like you could've done that! _A tiny voice in Damon scoffs, and the vampire can't help but roll his eyes bitterly. He couldn't control his stubborn witch, anymore than he could control the weather.

Maybe it's not his fault...maybe this is merely part of his screwed up destiny, that would happen one way or another, like _Final Destination_. He couldn't stop it no matter how he tried. But this only scares him more.

What if it's part of some supposed "beautifully tragic" fate for him. Bonnie gets kidnapped, right when the two of them are ready to melt into one another again. She ends up being killed just when their inflamed connection is rekindled, their unbreakable trust restored, and their epic love renewed. Like some kind of sick Shakespearean shit, Damon can't take it.

The vampire's heart clenches and convulses as a feeling of defeated emptiness washes over him. What if their time together in the forest was the last time they'd spend. What if he never got to hear her melodious voice again, and look into her sparking green eyes ever again?

Damon's jaw clenches and he closes his eyes in annoyance of the tears that roll down his cheeks.

He shouldn't be crying at a time like this. And he's being embarrassingly pathetic, but...

He can't imagine a life without her. If he losses her, he's sure it'd be to the equivalent of losing his heart and soul. In fact he can nearly guarantee the two things would perish, if she were to leave him. She'd take every ounce of his humanity along with her. And then what would he be? A worthless, lifeless monster.

_'Damon'_

Bonnie's authoritative voice suddenly enters the vampire's head with strength and compassion, resolutely causing the almost instantaneous relaxing of his tense muscles, as he silently breathes out her name both mentally and absentmindedly verbally.

"Bonnie..." he whispers brokenly, clenching his eyes even more tightly as more tears escape from their confines.

_'Damon, baby, pipe up. Be strong! You have to!' _his witch's gentle and comforting voice urges, ashe nearly loses it and chokes on a sob.

_'But how can I, Bonnie, when I feel like I'm suffocating?'_

He's never felt so defeated in his entire life.

_'Oh Damon...'_

The blue eyed man painfully gulps down the knot in his throat, before letting out a shaky breath at the sound of the misery filled sigh.

_'If anything happens to you, I don't know what I'll do!'_

_'Be strong.' 'Nothing's going to happen to me.' _Bonnie asserts, but Damon barely hears as he goes on hysterically.

_'I can't lose you. I just got you back.'_

_'Damon.'_her voice is more stern now, the man in question immediately notices, as he swallows slowly and forces his tears to stop, before flexing his ears to listen._ 'Stop it right now! Be strong! I __**need**__ you to be! __**Gabriel**__ needs you to be.'_

The dark haired vampire lets out a shaky breath and slowly nods his head, despite the fact that she cannot see him.

He bites into his cheek, before sighing and wrenching his eyes open as she continues to lay into him, causing him to smile slightly and fill with a glimmer of comfort at the sheer familiarity of it all.

_'You've got to __**know**__ that losing me is not an option, just like __**I**__ know that __**dying**__ is not an option! I'm __**not**__ leaving Gabriel and I'm not leaving __**you!**__ I've got way too much to live for!'_

Damon blinks quietly, and swallows slowly again, before closing his eyes and allowing the words to wash over him. She always seemed to possess the magical power of calming him. It never failed. And she was right. Why is he even_**considering**_the prospect of losing her an option? It fucking was _**not**_an option! And he couldn't think about it! He couldn't even allow himself to_**contemplate!**_

A grip of determination assaults the vampire, as if magically induced. It abruptly invades and washes over every pore of his skin like a rapid wave of the ocean, filling him with strength, determination, anxiety, and...anger, fury..._**rage.**_

_'I'm gonna fucking rip. That piece of shit sorcerer. To pieces with my __**teeth.**__'_

A passionate fire explodes to life within the pit of Damon's belly as he grunts the words out with promise, emotions in an uproarious frenzy. He will murder the bastard _**horrifically!**_ How dare he even _**attempt**_ to make a move against Bonnie! To make a move against his _**family!**_ And now he'd kidnapped Bonnie? And he was trying to get Gabriel as well? It would be a fucking _**massacre!**_ He was going to annihilate this creature!

_'Now that's more like it. Have I ever told you how sexy you are when you're riled up?'_

As angry and worked up as Damon is, it all seems to wash away with the sound of Bonnie's melodious voice and the words she speaks with it, that cause an uncontrollable grin to snake onto his face.

_'Not in a long time...' _he sighs before raking his right hand over his face, wiping away any and all traces of his previous break down along with it.

_'Oh. Well you are! Very sexy!'_

Bonnie's voice becomes flirtatiously husky as she utters the words before breaking out into a girlish giggle, causing the vampire to bite furiously into his bottom lip and roll his eyes.

_'And you are very evil. How dare you flirt with me when I can do nothing to take advantage of it...or mainly you...'_

Damon sends to the witch, shaking his head slightly, and thinking of all the ways he'll punish her once she's back in his arms.

_'Mmm...All in good time,__ baby, right? All in good time...' _she purrs seductively, at the unabashedly vulgar preview Damon sends her.

And _**damn**_ it! He's ready for her_** now!**_ It's been _**five years**_ and he wants her _**now!**_ He _**needs**_ her _**NOW!**_ But she's being held prison in a god forsaken cave with a sovereign, power-hungry _**nut job!**_ And _**God**_ help him, if there was_** ONE SCRATCH**_ on her caramel skin!

_'Hey! Calm down.'_

_'If he lays a __**finger**__ on you.'_

Damon finds himself slowly losing it, as his heart pumps loudly in his ears and his eyes bleed black at the mere thought of Bonnie being harmed.

_'Baby...'_

His fangs shoot out of his gums as his body begins to shake and wrack with fury.

_'I swear I'll circumcise him! I'll make him regret his entire__**fucking**__ existence!'_

_'Let me call you "Sweetheart," I'm in love with you.'_

Damon immediately stills and quiets at the sound of her soft voice singing to him.

_'Bonnie...' _he trails off as she continues singing the familiar love song slower than it's normal temp.

_'Let me hear you whisper that you love me too.'_

_'I love you so damn much.' _Damon whispers as his eyes fade into their normal blue, his fangs recede, and his body relaxes.

_'Keep the love-light glowing in your eyes so...blue'_

He slowly sits up, straightening against the seat of the Hummer as his upper body becomes visible to the people around him, who still remain invisible to him as he absentmindedly wraps an arm around his son and closes his eyes, losing himself in memories of countless nights of Bonnie singing this special melody to him_._

He remembers it all so vividly. He remembers her with life-threatening heart problems and remembers the pathetic mess of worry he'd been all throughout...And he'd lay on top of her, holding her fiercely to him as his head rested on her heart, just as she'd instructed. And she'd sing this to him, lulling him to sleep with her fingers moving through his hair.

_'Let me call you "Sweetheart," I'm in love with you...'_

Much like all those years ago, Damon finds his suddenly heavy eyelids, relaxing as he settles into a calming slumber, hand stilling in his son's curls as he drifts off into dreams of Bonnie's singing, and he sings along with her.

_'Let me call you "Sweetheart," I'm in love with you.'_

**Chapter End**

**Link to Bonnie's wedding ring:**

**.com/Yellow-Gold-Ring-by-Gemvara-Essentials/jewelry/v/568811/**

**Author's Note:**** I have to apologize, because this chapter isn't very eventful at all! I really hope you guys weren't TOO disappointed, bu****t I really wanted to give you SOMETHING to read! Especially since VD didn't come on this week! :( So I ended up splitting this chapter into two!**

**:( But TRUST me, the action will go DOWN next chapter! Sadly, I can't promise when I will get that one out, I've been VERY busy! :( But I will try my best, because you guys truly deserve nothing less! Again, I'm SOOOOOOOO very sorry, I can't even EXPRESS how sorry I am for making you guys wait for so long. You've been so amazing to me, you didn't deserve it. I hope you'll be able to forgive me in time. God bless**

**(Words of Wisdom is optional to read! Please don't read if it offends you! The LAST thing I want to do is that! So read at your own discretion!)**

**Words of Wisdom:**** Yes! We made it! 2012 is here! And a lo****t of us have stopped some bad habits that needed to end! YES! :D And YET! A lot of us may have acquired new habits now!...END them! Don't get caught up in them! Don't get caught up in the things of this EARTH – tv, internet, sex, partying, drugs! Please**** don't get caught up in it! Yes it's pleasurable, but a lot of it's a waste, and A LOT of it's a HARM! Not to mention it's TEMPORARY! ;D But I digress...Indulge, if you must, but don't allow it to TAKE OVER your life! Don't get caught in the world of fi****ction, create your own REALITY to LIVE! ;D Alcohol and sex may dull the pain for a moment, but your problems will be back in the morning! I just have to truly thank God for being my joy in sorrow and my peace in this storm called life. God bless**


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